Infectious Disease Prevention

Considerable evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of public health strategies for reducing disease, disability, and premature death. The Center for Health Improvement has been at the forefront of prevention policy and implementation efforts, performing studies, administering surveys, developing workshops and training, and publishing policy briefs aimed at improving public health outcomes.

California Hepatitis Alliance

The California Endowment

Since 2006, CHI has served as an incubator for a statewide network of advocates working to change the way the public health system addresses hepatitis C virus (HCV). The alliance's goals are to educate policymakers about the disease and the need for improved policies and systems to eliminate disparities in prevention, education, and care for persons affected by HCV. Throughout the two-year program, CHI provides customized training for the alliance and supports the organization as it strives to achieve several key objectives, including the creation of several HCV advocacy teams, a communications plan to increase community outreach, education and engagement, and a statewide Liver Wellness Plan.

Delivery of High-Yield Clinical Prevention Services by Managed Health Care Plans in California

California Department of Managed Health Care

In 2001, CHI produced a report that offered recommendations to the Advisory Committee on Managed Health Care about priority actions to increase utilization of effective clinical preventive services throughout the managed care system in California. CHI based its recommendations on a review of existing data and literature to determine health care delivery rates for managed care enrollees for the 14 top-ranked national services, examines the underutilized services to identify contributors to low delivery rates, and conducted key informant interviews with representatives from state health agencies, local public health providers, health plans, and constituent groups to determine their priorities for promoting clinical preventive services within their health care delivery settings.

HCV-HIV Best Practices

Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS

Working with the Department of Health Services Office of AIDS, CHI developed recommendations based on national best practices for how to incorporate hepatitis C virus (HCV) services into its HIV prevention and care programs. About one-third of those with HIV/AIDS are co-infected with HCV.

Tobacco Environmental Scan and Policy Convening

Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium

CHI conducted an environmental scan for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium to determine the availability of policy resources for 20 leading national tobacco prevention organizations. CHI presented the findings at a convening of tobacco prevention organizations and facilitated a discussion of opportunities to improve national tobacco control policy.

Community Guide for Supporting Effective Tobacco Cessation Services

California First 5

CHI developed a series of policy recommendations and supporting workshops to assist California First 5 Commissions (Proposition10) in supporting tobacco cessation efforts for pregnant women and parents of young children.

Publications & Resources

HCV General Information

Viral Hepatitis and Injection Drug Users, Report, NASTAD, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injection Drug Use Fact Sheets, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention website.

HCV Policy Issues

Syringe Exchange in California: Policy, Programs and Progress, Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, Updated June 2009

Syringe Exchange in California: Policy, Programs and Progress, Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, August 2007.

Improving Access to HCV Care in California Rural Communities, Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, October 2006.

Hepatitis C Surveillance: Informing Policy Decisions to Stem the California Epidemic, Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, October 2005.

Reducing CA's HCV Epidemic: Access to Sterile Syringes, Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, August 2005.

Stemming the Hepatitis C Epidemic in CA Correctional Settings: A Public Health Opportunity, Center for Health Improvement Policy Brief, August 2005.  

"Testing for HCV Infection Should Be Routine in High-Risk Patients," Miriam J. Alter, PhD, Leonard B. Seeff, MD, Bruce R. Bacon, MD, David L. Thomas, MD, Michael O. Rigsby, MD, and Adrian M. Di Bisceglie, MD, Annals of Internal Medicine, Volume 141, Number 9, November 2, 2004.

Other Resources

First 5 Community Guide for Supporting Effective Tobacco Cessation Services: Guide, Center for Health Improvement, August 2003.

First 5 Community Guide for Supporting Effective Tobacco Cessation Services: Resources (2003), Online resources guide compiled by the Center for Health Improvement, 2003.

Millions of California Children Still Exposed to Tobacco Smoke; Harms to Health, Higher Costs Result (1999), Virginia P. Quinn, Ph.D., California Center for Health Improvement Smoke-free Childhood: a Prop 10 Opportunity report, December 1999.

Trained Healthcare Providers + Brief Counseling Sessions + Support Systems = Effective Smoking Cessation Programs (1999), Virginia P. Quinn, PhD, California Center for Health Improvement Smoke-free Childhood: a Prop 10 Opportunity report, December 1999.

What Works? Community-based Support Services Enhance Smoking Cessation Programs (1999), Virginia P. Quinn, PhD, California Center for Health Improvement Smoke-free Childhood: a Prop 10 Opportunity report, December 1999.