EVIDENCE BASED PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY AND PRACTICE

Beyond compliance: environmental health problem solving, interagency collaboration, and risk assessment to prevent waterborne disease outbreaks

Joslyn D Cassady¹, Charles Higgins², Hugh M Mainzer³, Scott A Seys¹, John Sarisky³, Myfanwy Callahan³, Karl J Musgrave¹

¹ Wyoming Department of Health, Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA
² National Park Service, Washington, DC, USA
³ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr J Cassady
Drew University, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, New Jersey, USA, 07940; jcassady{at}drew.edu

A systems approach to environmental health problem solving was used to investigate two waterborne norovirus outbreaks in Wyoming and can serve in the development of improved prevention strategies. An interagency collaboration to prevent waterborne disease involving local, state, and federal partners was designed to coordinate response to outbreak investigations. Improved risk assessment and reporting procedures were also integrated to ensure better availability of necessary data. Public health entities should implement sustainable intersectoral interventions to prevent waterborne disease that not only improve regulatory compliance but also have a positive impact on community health outcomes. Collaborative preventive health and water system protection activities should receive priority attention for implementation in state and local jurisdictions.

Keywords: environmental health; risk assessment; water; norovirus

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