Journal of public health
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Journal of public health · Nov 2020
Establishing a student-run free clinic in a major city in Northern Europe: a 1-year experience from Hamburg, Germany.
Student-Run Free Clinics (SRFCs) have been an integral part of US medical schools since the 1960s and provide health care to underserved populations. In 2018, we established an SRFC in Hamburg, Germany, a major city in Northern Europe. The aim of this study was to describe the central problems and to investigate the usefulness of an SRFC in a country with free access to medical care, such as Germany. ⋯ Our multicultural patients suffer mainly from infections and traumatological and dermatological diseases. We find similarities to published Canadian SRFC patient cohorts but differences in diseases and treatment modalities compared to US SRFCs. Importantly, we demonstrate the relevance and necessity of the SRFC in a major city in Northern Europe.
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Journal of public health · Nov 2020
Using informatics to guide public health policy during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA.
Current and future pandemics will require informatics solutions to assess the risks, resources and policies to guide better public health decision-making. ⋯ Effective national preparedness requires clearly understanding states' ability to predict, manage and balance public health needs through all stages of a pandemic. This will require leveraging data quickly, correctly and responsibly into sound public health policies.
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Journal of public health · Nov 2020
Relationship of George Floyd protests to increases in COVID-19 cases using event study methodology.
Protests ignited by the George Floyd incident were examined for any significant impact on COVID-19 infection rates in select US cities. ⋯ In this study, it was apparent that violations of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended social distancing guidelines caused a significant increase in infection rates. The data suggest that to slow the spread of COVID-19, CDC guidelines must be followed in protest situations.