Team Epi-Aid

Team Epi-Aid is an award-winning volunteer group at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health that provides students with the opportunity to gain applied public health experience by assisting with outbreak investigations and other public health emergencies, while at the same time providing North Carolina's local and state health departments with needed surge capacity. More than 120 students are currently members of Team Epi-Aid and have contributed over 3,500 volunteer hours since 2003.

Student volunteers from the University of North Carolina Schools of Public Health and Medicine participate in Team Epi-Aid. State and local health departments who need workforce surge capacity to investigate outbreaks or conduct surveillance activities benefit greatly from assistance provided by student volunteers. In turn, students gain practical public health experience by working with these public health agencies. As a special incentive, the most involved and dedicated Team Epi-Aid volunteer each year is selected to attend the CDC's annual Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Conference.

Team Epi-Aid Experience

H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) Response

...	Team Epi-Aid volunteers Margaret Adgent (left) and Kim Angelon-Gaetz assist with the flu response at North Carolina's Public Health Command Center.

Team Epi-Aid volunteers assisted with North Carolina's response to H1N1 flu at the Public Health Command Center in Raleigh from April 29 to May 6. Six students from the UNC Gillings School of Public Health worked to return phone calls to local health departments and clinicians across the state.

Activities

Team Epi-Aid volunteers have participated in the following activities:

Outbreaks and disease investigations

Influenza A H1N1 outbreak response (2009)
Hepatitis C cluster investigation (2008)
E. coli outbreak in Rowan County (2007)
Influenza B outbreak in Yancey County (2006)
Salmonella outbreaks in various counties (2004 - 2006)
Norovirus outbreak at UNC (2004)
E. coli outbreak at the North Carolina State Fair (2004)
Legionnaires' disease outbreak in western North Carolina (2004)
Shigella outbreak in Surry county (2004)
HIV cluster investigation (2003)
SARS investigation and response (2003)
Hepatitis B outbreak in a nursing home (2003)
Hepatitis A outbreak in western North Carolina (2003)

Surveillance

Analysis of Cryptosporidium surveillance data (2006)
Foodborne disease surveillance evaluation and data analysis (2004)
Surveillance of adverse events to smallpox vaccine (2003)

Public health emergencies

Rapid needs assessments following hurricanes Isabel (2003), Charley (2004), Rita (2005), Wilma (2005) and Katrina (2006)
Bioterrorism exercises and drills (2004)

Community health assessments, surveys and studies

Reproductive health needs assessment in Johnston County (2009)
Survey of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine availability in south central North Carolina (2008)
Hurricane evacuation assessment in Albemarle Regional Health District (2008)
Data entry of Charlotte, NC, HIV risk behavior survey (2008)
Pre-hurricane assessment in Carteret County (2007)
HIV risk survey at NC PrideFest in Durham (2006-2008)
Lead contamination project in Durham county (2006)
Community health assessments in Alamance, Alleghany, Orange, Rowan, Surry, and Watauga counties (2006-2007)
Recreational water exposure study (2005)

Other

Facilitation of community focus groups about pandemic influenza antiviral priority groups (2007)