title: Missouri K-12 school disaster and biological event preparedness and seasonal influenza vaccination among school nurses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  School preparedness for bioevents, such as emerging infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and pandemics, is imperative, but historically has been low.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Missouri Association of School Nurses members were sent an online survey during the 2013-2014 school year to assess current bioevent readiness. There were 15 and 35 indicators of school disaster and bioevent preparedness, respectively. Multivariate linear regressions were conducted to delineate factors associated with higher school disaster and bioevent preparedness scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 133 school nurses participated, with a 33.6% response rate. On average, schools had fewer than half of the disaster or bioevent indicators. Disaster and bioevent preparedness scores ranged from 1-12.5 (mean, 6.0) and 5-25 (mean, 13.8), respectively. The least frequently reported plan components included bioterrorism-specific psychological needs addressed (1.5%, n = 2), having a foodservice biosecurity plan (8.3%, n = 11), and having a liberal sick leave policy for bioevents (22.6%, n = 30). Determinants of better bioevent preparedness include perception that the school is well prepared for a pandemic (P = .001) or natural disaster (P < .05), nurse being on the disaster planning committee (P = .001), and school being a closed point of dispensing (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schools are underprepared for biological events and are not on track to meet state and national biological preparedness goals.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biosecurity, Saint Louis University, College for Public Health & Social Justice, St Louis, MO. Electronic address: rebmannt@slu.edu.
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rebmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Saint Louis University, College for Public Health & Social Justice, St Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Artman
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biosecurity, Saint Louis University, College for Public Health & Social Justice, St Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: VanNatta
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biosecurity, Saint Louis University, College for Public Health & Social Justice, St Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wakefield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002959:Civil Defense; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D009726:Nurses; D012574:Schools
keywords: Bioterrorism; Emerging infectious disease; H1N1; Pandemic; Pediatric; Student; Surge capacity; Vaccine