FAC T SHEET FOR PROVIDERS

A Health Campaign of Uniformed Services University, www.usuhs.edu, and theCenter for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Bethesda, Maryland, www.CSTSonline.org

Public Health Emergencies:

Implications for Military Families and their HealthPublic health emergencies, such as
global pandemics, create numerous
Public health emergencies, suchopportunities and challenges around public
as global pandemics, create
health communication, preparedness,numerous opportunities andand response. Healthcare providers playa significant role in medical intervention
challenges around public health(disease surveillance, identification, andcommunication, preparedness,treatment) and in influencing patient
and response.
behaviors for protecting individual, family,
and public health. This can be in the formof education about basic hygiene suchas hand-washing and cough etiquette to more complex
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 providers may not be as familiar withthese new families and their specific health needs.
During times of public health crisis, military healthcare
providers 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 ofloved ones who are deployed. Likewise, those who aredeployed will worry about their loved ones back home.

■ Single parent families due to deployment often include

young caretakers who may lack experience in the role ofprotecting their family’s health, especially during publichealth crises.

■ Military families with special needs children who may

require additional medical and emotional support.

■ Families, especially those affected by combat injury,

whose children live with grandparents who may be
more vulnerable to influenza.

disaster behaviors such as shelter-inplace or evacuation.
Public health emergencies always
involve issues of homeland security anddefense. Because our military plays acentral role in our national security, theirhealth and the health of their families
and children is very important. This
Courage to Care focuses on public healthemergencies and their implications formilitary families and their health.

■ Families of the combat injured who may be concerned

about health risks visiting loved ones in hospitals orrehabilitation facilities.
The changing nature of public health emergencies may
create the need for additional public health interventions
such as travel limitations and quarantine. These canproduce more anxiety in families already experiencing
stress.
Patients as Public Health Partners■ Advise patients (adults and children) to practice goodhygiene: CDC recommends hand-washing on a regularbasis, especially after coughing or sneezing; covering
one’s nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or
sneezing and throwing used tissues in the trash; and,
importantly, staying home if one feels or is sick.

■ Recommend that patients monitor information about

the health crisis on a regular basis and be alert tochanges and prevention measures (see information links
at the end of this fact sheet).

Providers as Public Health Partners
During public health emergencies, the Department
of Health and Human Services coordinates disease
surveillance, medical preparedness, and guidance to publichealth professionals. Centers for Disease Control andContinued

Prevention has responsibility for identifying and tracking
the spread of the disease and for communicating healthrelated information to the government, media, and public.
Tell patients if someone they know becomes ill with flu-like
symptoms, especially if they have traveled to an affected
area, to contact their doctor to determine indicated testingand treatment.
Healthcare providers who suspect an infectious
disease outbreak should follow local guidance andinitiate the appropriate procedure for obtaining, testing,and storing infectious disease samples. State or local
health departments should be contacted to help facilitatetransport to and timely diagnosis from a state public healthlaboratory.
The role of the primary care healthcare provider,especially in times of public health emergencies, is criticalfor disease identification, treatment, and surveillance.
Health professionals can educate patients (adults andchildren) about basic hygiene including family healthbehaviors to avoid spread and exposure to disease. Staying
alert to changes can impact individual and family health,preparedness, and response.

Important Public Health Emergency Links■ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Englishand Spanish) 					www.cdc.gov■ American Red Cross: 				www.redcross.org■ Your local American Red Cross chapter can be locatedat: 							https://www.redcross.org/find-your-local-chapter.
html■ U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System(military unique health information) 			
www.health.mil/■ Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (UniformedServices University) 					www.cstsonline.org

Courage to Care is a health promotion campaign of Uniformed Services University
and its Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS). CSTS is the academic
arm and a partnering Center of the Defense Centers of Excellence 5DCoE) for
Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.

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