Monica Schoch-Spana, PhD Senior Associate Area of Professional Expertise: Medical Anthropology - Professional Profile - Selected Publications - Congressional Testimony and Briefings

  
In the News

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Experts offer measures to save lives after nuclear explosion. Global Security Newswire. (09-28-2011): This article discusses the Center's Rad Resilient City initiative and quotes members of the Nuclear Resilience Expert Advisory Group, including Center Senior Associate Dr. Monica Schoch-Spana.

‘Panic’ sells, but news organizations barely get off the ground with recent headlines, by Joshua Wilwohl. The Klaxon. (12-27-2009): A 2005 study about how people typically respond during disasters, authored by Dr. Schoch-Spana, is quoted extensively.

Homeland Security: Inside and Out, hosted by Dave McIntyre and Randy Larsen. Federal News Radio. (03-17-2009): Dr. Schoch-Spana discusses the importance of citizen involvement in health emergency planning: “…we need to think more broadly about the citizen role in public health preparedness. Now, typically, we’re asking citizens to set aside an emergency stockpile of essential goods and asking them to tune to either the television or the radio for instruction from officials. Both of those things are very important, but if we just image the citizen role to be private stockpiling and private action, we’re missing out on a great deal. Think of public health preparedness and the citizen role in a continuum from private action to group action, such as volunteers, to communitywide decision making. So what we need to do is to continue to invest in infrastructures that allow people to volunteer and also provide them opportunities to offer their input into health emergency planning.” Listen to interview

U.S. scientist in anthrax case said to kill self, by James Vicini. Reuters. (08-01-2008): Dr. Schoch-Spana remarked “It's a shame that people's awareness about the kind of disruption and destruction that is possible [from a bioterrorist attack] came from someone working inside biodefense circles.”

ACLU stresses public health's role in pandemics: A new report urges attention on health departments, vaccine manufacture and distribution, and surge capacity, by Susan J. Landers. www.amnews.com. (02-04-2008): The article reports national flu planning recommendations that Dr. Schoch-Spana spoke of during a panel presentation sponsored by the ACLU; namely, that the nation should provide hospitals with federal aid to help with surge capacity because they are already overburdened. 

Federal pandemic plan called inadequate; Local officials point to stress on hospitals, by Christopher Lee, Washington Post. (02-03-2008): With regard to national plans for responding to pandemic flu, Dr. Schoch-Spana commented, "The priority focus within U.S. pandemic plans on controlling contagion has unwittingly diverted attention from the problem of caring for the sick."

Report urges U.S. to abandon containment strategy for pandemic flu planning, by Leah Nylen, CQ Healthbeat News. (01-14-2008): Article refers to a panel discussion in which Dr. Schoch-Spana participated. Her recommendations included that "agencies. . . look into alternative forms of health care delivery, such as allowing community groups to dispense vaccines."

Pandemic planners urged to tap grass roots, by Maryn McKenna. CIDRAP News. (04-17-2007): Article references Community Engagement: Leadership Tool for Catastrophic Health Events and quotes Dr. Schoch-Spana: "If you define citizen preparedness as stockpiling, you are only giving people limited options."

Homeland Security Inside and Out. Host: Randy Larsen. KAMU 90.9 FM. (04-17-2007): Radio interview with Dr. Schoch-Spana, who talks about Community Engagement: Leadership Tool for Catastrophic Health Events and notes, "We can't just keep our eyes on the crisis period. . . What we're really talking about are the kinds of citizen contributions that can be made in advance of an extreme event." Listen to interview

Citizen groups could be tapped as major force to mitigate death, destruction, by Matthew Berger. Congressional Quarterly, Homeland Security. (04-13-2007): Article highlights Community Engagement: Leadership Tool for Catastrophic Health Events. Dr. Schoch-Spana is quoted: "Officials need to work with citizens and civic groups before disaster strikes to promote all the ways the public can contribute, including taking part in policy decisions, building volunteer networks, getting support for tax or bond measures that limit vulnerability and improve health and safety agencies, and, yes, having family emergency plans, too."

Global options groups' emergency preparedness expert participates in panel to provide guidance for cities in extreme health event. Business Wire. 04-05-2007): Article features Community Engagement: Leadership Tool for Catastrophic Health Events. Dr. Schoch-Spana is quoted: "Preparedness means more than personal stockpiling."

Allegheny County efforts national model of preparedness, by Allison Heinrichs. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. (04-04, 2007): Dr. Schoch-Spana is quoted: "Civic groups can call up their local hospitals and say, 'Do you have a pandemic flu plan and would you like any input? ... Can my organization and I help you?'"