Advancing public health resilience: A review of proposed strategies for enhancing emergency preparedness in rural and underserved communities
1 UNICEF, Health Section, UNICEF Nigeria, Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria.
2 UNICEF, Health Section, UNICEF Nigeria, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
3 Rivers State University, Health Service, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
4 Northern Illinois University, Public Administration, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois, United States of America.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 23(03), 045–062
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2024.23.3.2574
Publication history:
Received on 15 July 2024; revised on 24 August 2024; accepted on 26 August 2024
Abstract:
Background: Natural hazards and infectious disease outbreaks pose significant threats to public health globally. Rural and underserved communities often have limited resources and capacities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from such emergencies. There is a need to systematically identify strategies to enhance emergency preparedness and build resilience in vulnerable communities.
Aim: This review aims to comprehensively evaluate proposed strategies for advancing public health resilience with a focus on enhancing emergency preparedness in rural and underserved communities.
Method: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Informit Health databases. Search terms included "public health resilience", "emergency preparedness", "rural communities", and "underserved communities". Studies proposing strategies to enhance resilience at the individual, community, health systems and policy levels were included. Quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE system and key themes were identified through inductive thematic analysis. Reporting was guided by Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
Results: A total of 61 articles were included in the review. Key themes that emerged on strategies to enhance rural public health resilience included: strengthening partnerships and cross-sector collaborations; training and developing a skilled workforce; investing in technology and infrastructure upgrades; bolstering community engagement and social cohesion; and establishing coordinated emergency plans and protocols.
Conclusion: Implementing a combination of organizational, community and technological strategies offers potential for improving rural public health systems' ability to anticipate, absorb, adapt and recover from crises in a timely manner. Further research and resources are needed to translate evidence into practice, particularly in under-resourced settings.
Keywords:
Resilience; Disaster risk management; Public health emergencies; Rural communities; Social determinants of health; capacity building; Adaptive strategies; Primary healthcare
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Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0