In 2009, the global spread of pH1N1 prompted countries worldwide to intensify their efforts to protect the population's health to minimize the impact of the pandemic on society and the economy. Despite this common goal, considerable variability in health policies were observed around the world. This chapter analyzes the Italian public health system's infrastructure and organizational characteristics, and the policies implemented during the response to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic by using data obtained through semistructured interviews and a facilitated look-back activity. Italy and the United States faced similar challanges in the response to the pandemic, including difficulties in interpreting surveillance data, the late availability of the vaccine, and barriers in communication with the public in the midst of uncertainty regarding the evolution of the outbreak and media hype. However, the two countries differed in the way they addressed specific issues, mainly as a result of substantial differences in their organizational structure. This chapter analyzed the differences between Italy and the United States in the policies and procedures implemented to allocate vaccines, in the role and responsabilities of national and local public health agencies, and in the coordiantion of efforts between private and public providers. This chapter also aims to provide contextual informations to enable readers to understand the reasons behind specific public health decisions and, eventually, compare them with decisions undertaken in the United States. This chapter begins with a brief description of the context and characteristics of the Italian public health system, including a brief introduction to its organization, a history of major healthcare reforms, and a description of the steps undertaken during the past 10 years by national and regional governments in the development of pandemic preparedness plans. This description is followed by an analysis of the challanges, strategies, and decisions made in the response to the pandemic.
Elena Savoia, Pierluigi Macini, Maria Pia Fantini (2015). The Italian Response to the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic.. New York : Oxford Un. Press.
The Italian Response to the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic.
FANTINI, MARIA PIA
2015
Abstract
In 2009, the global spread of pH1N1 prompted countries worldwide to intensify their efforts to protect the population's health to minimize the impact of the pandemic on society and the economy. Despite this common goal, considerable variability in health policies were observed around the world. This chapter analyzes the Italian public health system's infrastructure and organizational characteristics, and the policies implemented during the response to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic by using data obtained through semistructured interviews and a facilitated look-back activity. Italy and the United States faced similar challanges in the response to the pandemic, including difficulties in interpreting surveillance data, the late availability of the vaccine, and barriers in communication with the public in the midst of uncertainty regarding the evolution of the outbreak and media hype. However, the two countries differed in the way they addressed specific issues, mainly as a result of substantial differences in their organizational structure. This chapter analyzed the differences between Italy and the United States in the policies and procedures implemented to allocate vaccines, in the role and responsabilities of national and local public health agencies, and in the coordiantion of efforts between private and public providers. This chapter also aims to provide contextual informations to enable readers to understand the reasons behind specific public health decisions and, eventually, compare them with decisions undertaken in the United States. This chapter begins with a brief description of the context and characteristics of the Italian public health system, including a brief introduction to its organization, a history of major healthcare reforms, and a description of the steps undertaken during the past 10 years by national and regional governments in the development of pandemic preparedness plans. This description is followed by an analysis of the challanges, strategies, and decisions made in the response to the pandemic.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
