Communication Document on Salmonella outbreak

Communicable diseases are a major health concern. While these diseases have traditionally been associated with developing countries, recent outbreaks and global pandemics, such as COVID-19, have demonstrated the culpability of developed countries to these illnesses (Ismahene, 2021). Salmonella infection is one of the latest communicable diseases to make the news headlines. Indeed, recent developments in American public health provided insight into a possible outbreak, highlighting the societal and health impacts of infectious diseases (Lamichhane et al., 2024). This article explores the public health impacts of salmonella outbreak: Communication Document on Salmonella outbreak.

Impact of Salmonella Outbreak

Salmonella outbreaks are a cluster of infections resulting from a shared source of contamination and attributable to a similar strain of Salmonella. According to the CDC, Salmonella outbreaks have a profound impact on American societies. The bacteria results in over 1.35 infections and over 26,500 hospitalizations annually. Further, over 400 salmonella-associated deaths are reported every year in the country (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024).

These statistics reveal salmonella outbreaks present a significant burden to the American healthcare system. Lamichhane et al. (2024) further reported that salmonella outbreaks have social and economic impacts on all communities. Economically, the outbreaks lead to a loss of productivity, as the affected persons can no longer engage in economic activities.

Additionally, it can damage the reputation of various food industries and produce significant strain on the available healthcare resources (O’Bryan et al., 2022). Socially, outbreaks can cause stress and fear across populations, impacting routine life and community events (O’Bryan et al., 2022). In the resolve to improve public health, preventing Salmonella outbreaks is necessitated.

Data Analysis Using Epidemiologic Terminologies

Salmonella outbreaks remain a public health threat. Epidemiological data analysis of the disease revealed a national incident rate of 17.1 per 100,000 as of 2022 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). Likewise, the disease’s morbidity rates are high, with the CDC reporting that over 26,500 hospitalizations are attributed to salmonella outbreaks annually.

Four hundred twenty deaths were associated with the outbreak in 2022, representing a case fatality rate of 0.03% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). These data further reveal the need to address salmonella outbreaks.

Potential Impact on the Population if Not Addressed

Failure to address the Salmonella outbreak may result in significant health and safety compromises to the American public. Foremost, there are social impacts of not addressing the outbreak. Galán-Relaño et al. (2023) reported that individuals and communities may experience panic when the outbreak is associated with various public institutions, such as restaurants. Additionally, the illness may cause significant strains on families and communities and subsequently erode trust in various institutions.

Likewise, salmonella outbreaks may result in lost productivity accustomed to work absence and increased caregiver costs. The healthcare system is also impacted, as Salmonella outbreaks have been associated with increased healthcare demands and consequent increases in the cost of care (O’Bryan et al., 2022). Addressing salmonella outbreaks is thus crucial.

Emotional distress may also arise if the salmonella outbreak is not addressed. Galán-Relaño et al. (2023) reported that families of individuals affected with Salmonella disease may face emotional trauma and anxiety. The emotional impact is higher when the disease’s outcomes are severe. This further affirms the need to address the outbreak.

Nursing Interventions

Nurses play an important role in mitigating infectious disease outbreaks. Foremost, nurses communicate the risks of communicable diseases to communities. Wang et al. (2022) noted that nurses, as health advocates and educators, can notify communities of the health and social risks of salmonella outbreak. This will help enhance the awareness of the affected communities of the disease (Wang et al., 2022).

Nurses can also be involved in educating individuals on symptom management. Likewise, nurses can collaborate with other stakeholders, such as epidemiologists, to design strategies for controlling infections. Collaborations between nurses may help ensure a broader approach towards mitigating Salmonella outbreaks (Wang et al., 2022).

Action Steps Taken by Nurses

Public health nurses can take several actions to prevent and control salmonella outbreaks. Foremost, nurses can lead education campaigns that are targeted at addressing the cause of Salmonella outbreaks. According to Wang et al. (2022), education on proper food handling can help prevent salmonella outbreaks. Likewise, through education, nurses can heighten the awareness of the community about the disease.

This can help community members to be accountable for preventing the disease. Nurses can also advocate for regulatory inspection of various foods, as this can help identify contamination and possible outbreak  (Wang et al., 2022). Nurses can also participate in different control measures. Interventions, such as carrying out outbreak investigations, can be helpful in controlling it.

Nurses can also identify patterns resulting in disease outbreaks. Collaboration is also critical. Public health nurses can collaborate with other stakeholders in public health for reporting surveillance and implementing sanitation programs (Wang et al., 2022).

Nurses can also leverage health education. In this respect, they can use several strategies to educate communities on how to control salmonella outbreaks. Some of these interventions include designing and distributing educational materials that are culture-appropriate.

Examples of such tools are brochures and pamphlets. Nurses also organize community workshops where they demonstrate measures used to maintain good food hygiene.

Salmonella outbreaks remain concerning to global healthcare systems. Their social and economic impacts on societies are profound. Nurses play a vital role in preventing and controlling salmonella outbreaks. They can leverage their skills to control the disease and minimize its impact.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 4). Preventing salmonella infection. Salmonella Infection (Salmonellosis). https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/prevention/index.html

Galán-Relaño, Á., Díaz, A. V., Lorenzo, B. H., Gómez-Gascón, L., Rodríguez, M. Á. M., Jiménez, E. C., Rodríguez, F. P., & Márquez, R. J. A. (2023). Salmonella and Salmonellosis: An update on public health implications and control strategies. Animals, 13(23), 3666. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13233666

Ismahene, Y. (2021). Infectious diseases, trade, and economic growth: A panel analysis of developed and developing countries. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 13(3), 2547–2583. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-021-00811-z

Lamichhane, B., Mawad, A. M. M., Saleh, M., Kelley, W. G., Harrington, P. J., Lovestad, C. W., Amezcua, J., Sarhan, M. M., Zowalaty, M. E. E., Ramadan, H., Morgan, M., & Helmy, Y. A. (2024). Salmonellosis: An overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, and innovative approaches to mitigate the antimicrobial resistant infections. Antibiotics, 13(1), 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13010076

O’Bryan, C. A., Ricke, S. C., & Marcy, J. A. (2021). Public health impact of Salmonella spp. on raw poultry: Current concepts and future prospects in the United States. Food Control, 132, 108539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108539

Wang, Y., Li, Y., Shen, B., Li, H., Sun, H., Yuan, C., Xie, H., Li, X., Li, Y., Guan, J., Jia, Q., & Zhang, X. (2021). Nursing ethics for prevention and control of major infectious disease outbreaks: Chinese expert consensus. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 9(1), 5–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2021.12.008

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Scenario
Your supervisor has asked each public health nurse to research a different communicable disease and prepare a communication document about the disease (Salmonella outbreak). These communication documents will be used to support your department in better understanding the public health issues, the potential consequences to the population, and the actions that public health nurses can take to educate and provide services for the population.

As the senior public health nurse in your department, your supervisor has requested that you select your communicable disease to research first and then they will assign your coworkers their communicable disease topic.

Instructions
Part One – Select one communicable disease from the list below, and research the communicable disease:

• Vaccination rates of children and any outbreaks
• Rates of influenza among those over 65
• Rising rates of new HIV rates of infection
• High immigrant community and concern about Ebola, Zika, or SARS
• New cases of acute flaccid myelitis
• Rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases
• Salmonella outbreak
• Rising rates of hepatitis
  

  Communication Document on Salmonella outbreak

Part Two – Prepare a communication document that:

• Explains the selected communicable disease’s impact or potential impact on public health.
• Analyzes data using correct epidemiologic terminology on the communicable disease (from the surveillance sources’ websites provided below).
• Explains the potential impact on the population if this communicable disease is not addressed, with a focus on the social impact and the emotional distress to the community.
• Examines nursing interventions that have been proven effective in similar communities.
• Details the action steps that can be taken by public health nurses to prevent and control the communicable disease, including education strategies.
• Provides stated ideas with professional language and attribution for credible sources with correct APA citation, spelling, and grammar in the communication document.

Note:

• The selected topic is Salmonella outbreak