A recent study ranks Iowa mostly prepared to handle public health emergency, but the state's seven out of 10 score (just under the national average) represents a decrease in the level of preparedness when compared to recent years with community planning and engagement and healthcare delivery both presenting themselves as areas where the state falls significantly below the national average, according to an article on the Spencer Daily Reporter website.

The state exceeded the national average in health security surveillance, incident and information management, countermeasure management and environmental and occupational health.

"We practice disease surveillance in hopes that we may interrupt transmission of a disease and to decrease illness cases or even deaths," Spencer Hospital assistant director of community health services Colette Rossiter said. 

"For example, we may note an unusual increase in cases of a particular disease or group of symptoms that may indicate the start of an outbreak. We communicate often with our local health care providers, hospital and schools. In Iowa, there are certain diseases that are required by law to be reported by labs, hospital and public health agencies. This helps us in public health to initiate an investigation to hopefully prevent further cases."

Read the article.