Terrorism and Public Health: A Balanced Approach to Strengthening Systems and Protecting People

The first edition of this book was published almost a decade ago to provide a comprehensive examination of the relationship between terrorism and public health. It also described what health professionals could do to mitigate the consequences of terrorist attacks and threats, and to address the underlying causes of terrorism. This completely revised second edition provides new information on emergency preparedness and response planning as well as lessons learned from responses to terrorist attacks in the United States and other countries. Expert scholars and practitioners of public health explore the historical roots of terrorism and address potential terrorist weapons and their control. They also explore in detail the adverse health consequences of the "war on terror," including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, other violations of human rights and civil liberties, diversion of resources, and the adverse impact on civil society organizations. Arguing for a more balanced approach to preparedness, the editors and contributors to this second edition describe challenges and opportunities for strengthening the public health system, protecting disaster rescue and recovery workers, and promoting domestic and international law related to terrorism.

Table of Contents:
Part I: Introduction 1. Challenges That Terrorism Poses to Public Health Barry S. Levy and Victor W. Sidel Box 1-1: Guiding Principles for a Public Health Response to Terrorism Box 1-2: Has the Nation's Response to Terrorism Strengthened the Public Health System? Susan Allan 2. The Roots of Terrorism Cheryl E. Easley and Carol Easley Allen Box 2-1: Addressing Public Opinion in Muslim Communities Zohra Rasekh and Gregory Pappas Part II: Public Health Responses to Terrorist Attacks 3. The Public Health Response to the World Trade Center Attack and Its Aftermath by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Isaac B. Weisfuse, Trish Marsik, and Robert M. Brackbill 4. Investigating the Health Consequences of the World Trade Center Attack Helen H. Lee, Emily C. Milam, Luz Claudio, Philip J. Landrigan, and Michael A. Crane 5. The Anthrax Attack of 2001 Philip S. Brachman 6. A Global Perspective on Terrorism and Public Health John Middleton, Patrick Saunders, and Shamil Harron 7. The Mental Health Consequences of Terrorism Zebulon Taintor Box 7-1: The Experiences of Two Mental Health Professionals Charles B. Strozier and Katie Gentile Box 7-2: Terrorism, Media, and Hate Crimes Nimmi Kapoor Part III: Potential Terrorist Weapons and Their Control 8. Small Arms and Light Weapons Wendy Cukier, Nelson Palacio, and Reefa Mahboob 9. Nuclear and Radiologic Weapons Patrice M. Sutton and Robert M. Gould Box 9-1: International Control of Nuclear Weapons Robert M. Gould and Merav Datan 10. Chemical Weapons Ernest C. Lee, Philipp C. Bleek, and Stefanos N. Kales 11. Biological Weapons Victor W. Sidel and Barry S. Levy Box 11-1: Research on Biological Weapons Box 11-2: A Community Salmonellosis Outbreak Caused by Intentional Contamination of Restaurant Salad Bars Part IV: Preparedness for Terrorist Attacks and Other Public Health Emergencies 12. Public Health Preparedness in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Jonathan E. Fielding and Alonzo L. Plough 13. Predicting and Planning for Public Health Emergencies Nathaniel Hupert Part V: Adverse Effects of the "War on Terror" 14. Protecting Civil Liberties and Human Rights H. Jack Geiger and George J. Annas 15. Public Health Consequences of the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq Barry S. Levy and Victor W. Sidel Box 15-1: A Soldier's View Garrett Reppenhagen Box 15-2: A Perspective from Military Families Elizabeth Frederick 16. Consequences of Torture Leonard S. Rubenstein 17. The Impact of Anti-terrorism Law and Policy on Civil Society Organizations in the United States Mark Sidel Part VI: Challenges and Opportunities 18. Strengthening the Public Health System C. William Keck and Marguerite A. Erme 19. Protecting Emergency Response and Recovery Workers Dori B. Reissman, Renee Funk, John Halpin, John Piacentino, Margaret M. Kitt, and John Howard Box 19-1: Integrating Psychological and Behavioral Components into Organizational Preparedness 20. Promoting Domestic and International Law Peter Weiss Appendix: A List of Some Organizations That Promote Peace and Address Issues Related to Emergency Preparedness and Response

About the Author :
Barry S. Levy, MD, MPH, is an Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Tufts University School of Medicine and a consultant in occupational and environmental health. Trained in internal medicine and preventive medicine, he served as a medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and as a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He worked in Kenya for the Carter Center and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Dr. Levy served as a program director at Management Sciences for Health and as Executive Director of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Overall, he has worked in more than 20 countries. He served as President of APHA. Victor W. Sidel, MD, is Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and an Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical College. Trained in internal medicine and public health, he headed the Community Medicine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital and chaired the Department of Social Medicine at Montefiore and Einstein. Dr. Sidel was a founder of the Physicians for Social Responsibility and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which was the recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. He has served as President of both organizations, and as President of APHA and the Public Health Association of New York City.

Review :
"Terrorism and Public Health is a provocative book written for times that challenge our values in how to respond. It calls for planning and restraint and a balancing of resources for the overall health of the public in the response to emergencies caused by terrorism." -- Journal of the American Medical Association "This book addresses terrorism as a many-sided phenomenon. There are no easy answers either technically or politically, although the public health community has the responsibility to address it in [its] preventive aspect, politically, morally and from the point of view of social justice. For combining all of these perspectives, the editors...should be congratulated." -- Newsletter of the UK Public Health Association "...the timely publication of this book is a service to all of us in public health, and it will be a useful resource for health professionals, emergency response organizations, and policy makers, as well as for teaching." -- International Journal of Epidemiology "The public anxiety around the possibility of terrorist threats presents a challenge to all those working in public health, and it is to the great credit of [this book] that it helps us respond to this challenge in a sensible and balanced way."-- Medicine, Conflict and Survival "This has to be the 'book of the year' so far, in this so important field of study and deserves the widest possible readership." -- The Occupational Safety & Health Journal of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents "The public anxiety around the possibility of terrorist threats presents a challenge to all those working in public health, and it is to the great credit of [this book] that it helps us respond to this challenge in a sensible and balanced way." -Medicine, Conflict and Survival, Vol. 19, 2003 "The arrival of the 21st century has brought a greater threat of international terrorism and a greater appreciation of the role of public health in protecting the community. Terrorism and Public Health: A Balanced Approach to Strengthening Systems and Protecting People provides a comprehensive review of the interdisciplinary collaboration that is needed to guard against terrorism while strengthening our public health system."--Diana Bonta, DHS-Director's Office "A remarkably timely and comprehensive look at the challenges that terrorism presents for public health. It thoroghly examines the issues around strengthening the public health system's response to terrorism while avoiding inappropriate actions that further shift vital resources and efforts from other critical public health needs. This book provides schools of public health and other academic health institutions with a basic guide for developing terrorism preparedness and response training in their curricula."--Patricia W. Wahl, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics and Dean, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington "...a timely contribution from a distinguished group of public health professionals. The events also showed how the prompt actions of courageous and well-trained individuals helped reduce the burden of suffering. This book is a valuable resource for all those now mobilizing to prevent or contain the threat to the public's health of future acts of terrorism, whether from biologic, chemical, nuclear, or conventional weapons."--Robert S. Lawrence, MD, Edyth H. Schoenrich Professor of Preventive Medicine, and Director, John Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD "...an invaluable book for the same reason that it is profoundly sad that such a resource is needed at all--the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The first hand stories provide lessons learned not available from any other source. Attention to these lessons, the information on terrorist weapons and pursuing opportunities to strengthen the public health infrastructure will help us to prepare for potential future assaults. Perhaps most important, understanding the roots of terrorism may bring action that lead to greater world peace."--Faye L. Wong, MPH, RD, Director, "Youth Media Campaign" "...an historic reassessment of our chronically underfunded public health system, and what must be done now to meet the new challenge of terrorism in our midst. Drawing on the best thinking in public health, medicine, law and civil liberties, weapons development, and other fields, Levy and Sidel argue forcefully that the goals of community-based prevention and terrorism preparedness are complementary, not competing. It will be an enormously useful guide to policymakers, a resource for public health practitioners, and a message of hope to Americans with basic questions about what we must do now to prepare to combat these new and emerging threats.--Senator Paul Wellstone "The timing of Terrorism and Public Health could not have been better. This book serves as a defining statement of where terrorism must now 'fit' into public health agendas at all levels of government. The book also illuminates the need for effective collaboration among health, medical and social scientists. It is encyclopedic in its coverage and includes a robust list of references...a spledid book"--Balius Walker, Jr., Ph.D., MPH, Professor of Environmental and Occupational Medicine and a past president of the American Public Health Association. "The essays by the editors...are superb, both is setting the context and raising concerns."--Report (Newsletter of the UK Public Health Association), Winter 2002/3 "The timely publication of this book is a service to all of us in public health, and it will be a useful resource for health professionals, emergency response organizations, and policy makers, as well as for teaching."--International Journal of Epidemiology "This has to be the 'book of the year' so far, in this so important field of study and deserves the widest possible readership."--The RoSPA Occupational Safety & Health Journal "Edited by 2 former presidents of the American Public Health Association, the second edition of Terrorism and Public Health comprises 20 chapters written by subject matter experts. The book is divided into 6 sections that include chapters addressing public health responses to terrorist acts, specific weapons used by terrorists, and emergency planning. Overall, the book provides a wide overview of the issues confronting public health agencies with respect to their national security role....for those with some grounding in the subject this book is, as the JAMA review of the first edition noted, 'a provocative book written for times that challenge our values in how to respond'." -- JAMA