Department of International Health and Collaboration, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
Department of Health Crisis Management, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama 351-0197, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 11;19(6):3343. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063343.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the implementation of public health measures globally. The health department of local governments has played a critical role in confronting COVID-19. In Japan, public health centers (PHCs) are focal points for COVID-19 response. Understanding the response to COVID-19 in local areas is critical to ensure adequate preparation for future emergencies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to clarify how the COVID-19 operations by PHCs in Japan were managed and facilitated at the beginning of the infection spread, and their future challenges. We designed a case study that included two PHCs with a population of approximately 400,000 in Japan. Semi-structured focus group interviews with public health nurses from these two PHCs were conducted in September and October 2020. The data were analyzed using chronological time-series analysis. The switch to crisis response was encouraged by the business continuity plan. Their operations for the prevention of COVID-19 in the community were facilitated by the existing network. Further, strengthening the knowledge and skill regarding infectious disease control and management skills during infectious disease-related health emergencies were recommended. It is important to ensure that the environment facilitates emergency response and that people-and-community-centered health promotion activities are conducted, during an emergency situation, with more innovative action and leadership.
新型冠状病毒病 2019（COVID-19）大流行促使各国在全球范围内实施公共卫生措施。地方政府的卫生部门在应对 COVID-19 方面发挥了关键作用。在日本，公共卫生中心（PHC）是应对 COVID-19 的重点。了解当地对 COVID-19 的应对情况对于确保为未来的紧急情况做好充分准备至关重要。因此，本研究的目的是阐明日本 PHC 应对 COVID-19 的操作方式，以及在感染传播初期如何管理和促进其运作，以及未来的挑战。我们设计了一项案例研究，包括日本两个人口约为 40 万的 PHC。2020 年 9 月至 10 月，对这两个 PHC 的公共卫生护士进行了半结构式焦点小组访谈。使用时间序列分析对数据进行分析。业务连续性计划鼓励向危机应对模式转变。现有的网络促进了他们在社区中预防 COVID-19 的运作。此外，建议在传染病相关卫生紧急情况下，加强传染病控制和管理技能方面的知识和技能。重要的是要确保环境有利于应急响应，并在紧急情况下开展以人为中心和以社区为中心的促进健康活动，需要采取更具创新性的行动和领导力。
