Synopsis
The Human Genome Epidemiology Network (HuGNet) is a global body that is evaluating the effects of genome on the health of the human population. In addition, the international body studies how to use genetic pieces of information in health improvement and disease prevention (HuGENet – About Us, n.d.).
In the Florida’s health department, the Bureau of Epidemiology Program is helping to protect the public’s health hence reduce their disease burdens. For instance, the Bureau does not only do surveillances on illnesses and occupation related risks, but also come up with the ways of enhancing the workers safety.
Again, it carries out researches on the genetic infections and develops measures for controlling and preventing the outbreaks of both noninfectious and infectious diseases (About the Florida Department of Health, 2012). It is also training, collecting, and disseminating the health related pieces of information to the Floridians and visitors thus empowering the society.
Florida State has the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) in the Chronic Disease Bureau division. Its mandate is to provide quality and accessible health care for diabetes patients. Consequently, it reduces the disease burden on the Floridians. This program relates to genetics; for example, type one diabetes, which frequently occurs in children and adolescents that lack insulin, has genetic as one of the risk factors.
This type of diabetes mostly poses risks to children whose parents have the same disease and those family members with the disease history (About the Florida Department of Health, 2012). Likewise, a person’s family diabetes history can cause type two diabetes that mostly associates with the old people. Since family members share genes and behaviors, other diseases such as cancer and high blood pressure can also affect family members.
In the occupational disorder, the health department has the Occupational Safety and Health Program (OSHP). The OSHP carries out surveillance on injuries and illnesses that relate to work such as pneumoconiosis and mesothelioma, and musculoskeletal Disorders (About the Florida Department of Health, 2012).
In doing so, the program aims at reducing the risks that can cause the diseases. The above complications are due to hereditary or allergic reactions of a worker’s body; therefore, the disorders relate to genetics. On the last aspect of environmental health program, the Florida health department offer internship programs to the Floridians to master and practice food hygiene, waste disposal, and wells surveillance.
There is also the Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Parks program tasked by inspecting the parks and the camps, to mitigate diseases related to the environment. Moreover, the internship program trains the people on the favorable weather conditions depending on the nature of their skins (Genomics|Home, 2012).
An extreme high temperature causes non-occupational heat-related illness (HRI) such as heat exhaustion and heart stroke, which can lead to dysfunction of multiple organs, or death. Heat related illnesses require genetically related programs to minimize. Although the health department gives the newborn disease screening programs slightly more attention, the above programs cut across all ages.
Conclusively, the Florida State programs are immensely helping the citizens; however, it needs to continue devolving the programs to all its counties to increase accessibility. Both the screening and the surveillance program are in the right direction in trying to prevent public health risks. With the dissemination of reports and data, coupled with weekly updates of newsletters, through the internet, the Florida health department is trying to reach many people at ago.
References
About the Florida Department of Health. (2012). Florida Department of Health. Web.
Genomics|Home. (2012). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
HuGENet – About Us. Hugenet Home Page. Web.