CSTS | Department of Psychiatry | Uniformed Services University | 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799 | www.CSTSonline.org

Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks:
How Healthcare Personnel Can Support
Military Families and their HealthPublic health emergencies, suchas hand-washing and coughPublic health emergencies, such global
global infectious disease outbreaks,
etiquette to more complex disastercreate numerous opportunities andbehaviors such as shelter-in-place
infectious disease outbreaks, create
challenges around public healthor evacuation.
numerous opportunities and challenges
communication, preparedness, andPublic health emergencies sucharound public health communication,response. Healthcare personnel
as infectious disease outbreaks
play a significant role in medical
always involve issues of homeland
preparedness, and response.
intervention (disease surveillance,security and defense. Because ouridentification, and treatment) andmilitary plays a central role in ourin influencing patient behaviors
national security, their health, andfor protecting individual, family, and public health. This
the health of their families is very important.
can be in the form of education about basic hygiene such
Unique Characteristics of Military Family Life
The military community is a population on the move.
Families may relocate multiple times within short periodsof time within or outside of the country. Relocation,
especially during times of public health emergencies, may
increase exposure to disease. Moving also can be a barrier
to healthcare access and continuity. As families move tonew areas, healthcare personnel may not be as familiar withthese new families and their specific health needs.
During times of public health crisis, military healthcare
personnel need to be especially sensitive and alert tostressors and issues that relate to military families andmilitary family life. These include:■ Raised anxiety about the health and wellbeing of loved
ones who are deployed. Likewise, those are deployed
will worry about their loved ones back home.
■ Single parent families (resulting from deployment)
often include young caretakers who may lack experiencein the role of protecting their family’s health, especiallyduring public health crises.
■ Military families with special needs children may
require additional medical and emotional support.
■ Families, especially those affected by combat injury,
whose children live with grandparents may be more
vulnerable to contracting illness.
■ Families of the combat injured may be concerned

about health risks visiting loved ones in hospitals or
rehabilitation facilities.
■ The changing nature of public health emergencies
may create the need for additional public healthinterventions such as travel limitations and quarantine.
These can produce more anxiety in families alreadyexperiencing stress.
Supporting the Psychological Wellbeing of Patients
Healthcare personnel can support patient wellbeing
and reduce distress by providing guidance andrecommendations to patients that serve to enhance feelingsof safety, calming, self- and community-efficacy, social
connectedness, and hope or optimism. The following arehelpful practices:■ Proactively provide consistent, easy to understand, andupdated messages about steps your healthcare clinic or
facility are taking to reduce risk to patients and provide
care to those who are ill.
■ Advise patients (adults and children) the most effective
way to care for themselves and their family is toimplement illness prevention practices recommended
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), including: hand-washing on a regular basis,
especially after coughing or sneezing; covering one’s
nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing orContinuedsneezing and throwing used tissues in the trash; avoid
traveling to high-risk areas or contact with those whohave contracted an infectious disease; importantly,
staying home if one feels or is sick.
■ Recommend patients promptly contact their healthcare
provider if they are exposed to a sick individual that has
been in a high-risk area or develop symptoms of illness.
■ Remind patients that, while it may make them feelsafer, taking steps not recommended (ie; routine useof surgical masks without medical recommendation,
excessive restrictions on daily activities or travel) may
diminish resources needed in high risk areas, leavethem feeling more socially isolated, elevate distress for
those around them, and ultimately serve no protective
benefit.

■ Encourage the use of trusted sources of informationand discourage the spread and consumption ofmisinformation, which is common during infectious
outbreaks. The CDC website has accurate and updated
information on infectious disease and pandemics; thelink is found at the end of this document.
■ For patients showing increasing or extreme signs of
distress (depression, substance use, suicidal thoughts,
inability to care for themselves or their family, or otherconcerning signs and symptoms) incorporate the use of
behavioral health personnel in primary care settings orrefer them to specialty behavioral health care services.
Current information about pandemics or infectious disease
outbreaks can be found at the CDC’s website: 		https://www.cdc.gov/

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
www.CSTSonline.org