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Vincent A. Campbell, PhD, Jamylle A. Gilyard, MPH, Lisa Sinclair, MPH, Tom Sternberg, MSc and June I. Kailes, LCSW, MSW

Vincent A. Campbell, Jamylle A. Gilyard, Lisa Sinclair, and Tom Sternberg are with the Disability and Health Branch, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Tom Sternberg is also with the Medical Staffing Network, Atlanta. June I. Kailes is with the Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA.

Correspondence: Correspondence should be sent to Vincent A. Campbell, PhD, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, MS-E-88, Atlanta, GA 30329 (e-mail: vbc6{at}cdc.gov). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking on the "Reprints/Eprints" link.

State, local, tribal, and territorial emergency managers and public health officials must address the specific needs of people with disabilities in their pandemic influenza plans. Evidence from Hurricane Katrina indicated that this population was disproportionately affected by the storm and aftermath.

People with disabilities, particularly those who require personal assistance and those who reside in congregate care facilities, may be at increased risk during an influenza pandemic because of disrupted care or the introduction of the virus by their caregivers. Emergency and public health planners must ensure that personal assistance agencies and congregate care operators make provisions for backup staffing and that those who provide critical care are given adequate antiviral drugs and vaccines as they become available.

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				S. S. Hutchins, B. I. Truman, T. L. Merlin, and S. C. Redd Protecting Vulnerable Populations From Pandemic Influenza in the United States: A Strategic Imperative Am J Public Health, October 1, 2009; 99(S2): S243 - S248. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]