 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Barry S. Levy, MD, MPH, Adjunct Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine, P. O. Box 1230, Sherborn, MA 01770, 508-650-1039, blevy@igc.org and Victor W. Sidel, MD, Albert Einstein Medical College and Montefiore Medical Center, Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, New York, NY 10467.
Terrorism is defined in Terrorism and Public Health (Oxford University Press, 2003) as "politically motivated violence or the threat of violence, especially against civilians, with the intent to instill fear." Terrorism may be perpetrated by nation-states, as discussed in the Peace Caucus session on "War and Public Health," or by non-state groups or individuals. Challenges include improving public health and medical care system capabilities to respond to all health needs, controlling weapons, addressing factors that may lead to war or terrorism, promoting a balance between response to terrorism and to other public health concerns, and resisting constraints on human rights. Public health workers can play important roles in addressing these challenges and in opposing politically-motivated efforts that restrict civil liberties and divert needed resources.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Bioterrorism, War
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.