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At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Special report. The 1994 Southern California earthquake: its continuing impact on area hospitals and some lessons it can teach all hospitals on disaster preparedness.

The massive earthquake that rocked Southern California on January 17 left area hospitals facing both an influx of patients and heavily damaged facilities. Several hospitals were forced to shut down temporarily, although in most cases not before quake victims were triaged and other patients were safely transferred to other facilities. With damage totals still being calculated and repair projects just under way, several hospitals already are evaluating their response to the quake in an effort to be even more prepared should another disaster of that magnitude occur. This special report will provide an overview of the damages suffered by several hospitals; describe the role played by administrators and staff--particularly the security department--in the aftermath of the quake; and offer advice from hospital officials on how to best prepare for an earthquake or another natural disaster and how to function most effectively in the aftermath.

California↗
PubMed1993

Deaths caused by lightning.

Though a rare cause of death, lightning is reported to be responsible for more fatalities each year in this country than any other type of natural disaster. Lightning injuries differ significantly from other high voltage electrical injuries because of the high current flow, but extremely short duration, of the lightning stroke. We present a series of cases over the period of 1985 to 1991 in Cook County, Illinois in which lightning was the direct cause of death. Our discussion reviews the nature of lightning, the effects it may have on humans, and the ways in which deaths due to lightning might be prevented.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Recent data on the demographic problem of Bangladesh].

With a 1980 population of 90.6 million, Bangladesh is "one of the most densely peopled states. 91% of the population live in rural areas and 80% of them are agriculturally employed. As a food deficit country, this amounts to overpopulation, which makes Bangladesh very vulnerable to natural disasters. Growing at 2.6% per annum there are few signs of demographic transition as birth rates remain higher than in India. Projections cannot but reflect a crisis point in the near future."

Asia↗
PubMed2002

Bring your first aid kit: an unannounced mock drill.

Disaster preparedness has taken on new significance in our country since September 11. School nurses, advocates for school safety, must address new challenges in crisis management and emergency response. Our nation's schools remain relatively safe places, yet well-known events in the last few years dictate the need for movement from attitudes of complacency and denial toward vigilance. Natural disasters, accidents, and violence can threaten the well-being and lives of students and staff, and in a few short minutes a peaceful learning environment can change into one of chaos with multiple casualties. Although schoolwide drills for events such as tornadoes, explosions, and shootings remain imperative, they do little to prepare the school nurse for her role in immediate response. Staging an unannounced mock disaster at a districtwide nurse meeting is one way to ensure a higher level of preparedness. It also acknowledges the legitimate concerns of crisis competency among school nurses who are often and understandably the most trusted first responders to health crises on campus.

Disaster Planning↗
PubMed1987

The phenomenon of famine.

Famines are sustained, extreme shortages of food among discrete populations sufficient to cause high rates of mortality. Signs and symptoms of prolonged food deprivation include loss of fat and subcutaneous tissue, depression, apathy, and weakness, which progress to immobility and death of the individual, often from superimposed respiratory or other infections. The social consequences of famines are disruption from mass migrations of people in search of food, breakdown of social behavior, abandonment of cooperative effort, loss of personal pride and sense of family ties, and finally a struggle for individual survival. Famines have been common ever since the development of agriculture made human settlements possible. Food shortages due to crop failures caused by natural disasters including poor weather, insect plagues, and plant diseases; crop destruction due to warfare; and enforced starvation as a political tool are by no means the only causative factors. Many of the worst famines have been due to poor distribution of existing food supplies, either because of inequities that result in a lack of purchasing power on the part of the poor or because of political interference with normal distribution or relief movements of food. Europe and Asia, which in the past experienced frequent severe famines, sometimes with deaths in the hundreds of thousands or millions, have now largely eliminated famines through social and technological change. However, in Africa, political and social factors have destroyed the capacity of many populations to survive drought-induced variations in local food supplies and prices. Thus, famines are due to varying combinations of inadequacy of food supplies for whatever reason and the inability of populations to acquire food because of poverty, civil disturbances, or political interference. Despite the role of natural causes, the conclusion is inescapable that modern famines, like most of those in history, are man-made.

Demography↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiological evidence about the relationship between PTSD and alcohol abuse: the nature of the association.

This article uses the Bradford Hill criteria for assessing causal associations to examine the nature of the relationship between PTSD and alcohol abuse. A series of studies are presented which examine this relationship. A cross-sectional study of 2,501 subjects in a community sample examined the relationship between at-risk drinking and 11 types of traumatic events. The traumatic events associated with at-risk drinking were involvement in life threatening accidents, witnessing severe injury, rape, being the victim of serious physical assault using the CIDI. In a longitudinal study of 469 firefighters exposed to a natural disaster, PTSD was associated with both an increase and decrease in alcohol consumption and PTSD rather than exposure accounted for the changes in drinking behaviour. In three other populations, psychiatric inpatients, motor accident victims and female prisoners, the association between PTSD and alcohol abuse emphasised the clinical and public health importance of this relationship. The available evidence does nevertheless support the causal nature of this relationship. Other risk factors are necessary to predict alcohol abuse following exposure to traumatic events, although exposure to traumatic events can be caused by alcohol abuse.

Accidents↗
PubMed1999

Essential factors for effective psychological response to disasters and other crises.

Few human experiences contain the intensely concentrated horror, terror, and awesome power associated with a disaster. Nature's destructive forces and events in which humans rage out of control against one another can serve as trigger mechanisms for overwhelming psychological reactions in the survivors, community members, and rescuers. Appropriate crisis intervention strategies and tactics are often thrown off balance, delayed, and made more complex by the sheer magnitude of the catastrophe. Few guidelines for effective community crisis or disaster response team activities in a disaster have been written to date. This article will help to fill-in the information gaps and enhance a psychological team's ability to provide better crisis intervention services during disasters.

Crisis Intervention↗
PubMed2006

Dialysis services in the hurricane-affected areas in 2005: lessons learned.

BACKGROUND: Hurricane Katrina resulted in partial or complete devastation of dialysis services throughout the Gulf Coast, including the New Orleans metropolitan area. In the immediate aftermath, dialysis had to be provided to patients by surrounding communities in Louisiana, and ultimately by dialysis programs throughout the nation. Peritoneal dialysis patients, though typically more independent, also endured challenges in continuing dialysis following Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Rita caused similar damage to the western Gulf Coast at Lake Charles, Louisiana and Beaumont, Texas and further delayed recovery of dialysis services in the New Orleans metropolitan area. SETTING: A review of the problems created by the disaster provided many opportunities to improve healthcare delivery and to prepare for recovery from the event. Understanding what happened to the delivery of dialysis and chronic kidney disease services allows the opportunity to develop better systems to support this particularly vulnerable population of patients. CONCLUSION: Many lessons can be learned from these events to minimize future interruption of dialysis services in the face of natural disasters such as hurricanes.

Community Health Services↗
PubMed2002

Cholera: a continuous epidemic in Africa.

Cholera continues to plague many parts of the world, but has largely been concentrated in Africa, which contributes more than 80% of the total cases worldwide. Natural disasters, like the 2000 floods in Mozambique and the volcanic eruption in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2002, generally lead to new outbreaks of the disease. The refugee problem in many countries throughout the world also causes potential threats for disease outbreaks. Case fatality rates are high, and we are not anywhere near curbing new cholera epidemics, especially in Africa. It is thus imperative to renew discussions about the nature of this deadly disease, its treatment, measures for prevention and control, modes of transmission, its physical, social and economic impact, and potential solutions.

Africa↗
PubMed2006

A simple fluorogenic method to detect Vibrio cholerae and Aeromonas hydrophila in well water for areas impacted by catastrophic disasters.

The colony overlay procedure for peptidases (COPP) is a simple, fluorogenic assay that can rapidly detect and quantify Vibrio cholerae and Aeromonas hydrophila in well water. Cleavage of the substrate L-lysyl-7-amino-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin by enzymes present in Vibrio and Aeromonas species produces fluorescent foci on cellulose acetate membranes exposed to long-wave ultraviolet light. Vibrio cholerae O1, O139, O155, and A. hydrophila were readily detected using this procedure, whereas Enterobacteriaceae and other non-Vibrionaceae pathogens did not produce fluorescence. The assay is practical for assessing the relative safety of well water in areas that have experienced catastrophic devastation from natural disasters, acts of war, or civil strife and may help curb outbreaks of cholera and other enteric illnesses in affected areas. In tropical climates, the procedure may be adapted for use in areas without electricity.

Aeromonas hydrophila↗
PubMed2004

Posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of mass trauma.

There is a large body of literature on the psychological consequences of trauma experienced by individuals, but there are few studies of the acute and long-term effects of mass trauma on victimized communities. Acute stress reactions are expected, and overall resilience in the aftermath of major disasters is the rule rather than the exception. However, the available literature on mass trauma suggests that certain factors may provide clues to identifying persons at greater risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The severity of the trauma and the accessibility of support systems may affect long-term outcome. In industrialized countries, mass violence caused by malicious human intent may be a more virulent precursor to PTSD than other types of mass trauma, such as technological or natural disasters. School-aged children, women, persons with existing psychiatric illness, those who experienced significant losses or threat to life, those who have insufficient psychological and social support systems, and persons who exhibit symptoms of functional impairment may be at greater risk for PTSD. The findings of a population study of 2 traumatized communities are discussed. Early intervention in communities suffering mass trauma should consist of general support and bolstering of the recovery environment rather than psychological treatment; some forms of early psychological interventions may worsen outcome. There is a great unmet need for treatment and intervention guidelines for victims of mass trauma, and well-designed studies are warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Nurses and emergency disasters: what is known.

Following the events of September 11, 2001, the threat of bioterrorism events has become a realistic concern for health care workers in the United States. Bioterrorism events caused by infectious agents will be challenging because nurses will need to recognize unfamiliar infections and work long hours with limited resources in stressful conditions. During a bioterrorism event caused by biologic agents, nurses will be expected to provide care to infected patients and may fear that they, or their families, could also become infected. A review of literature suggests that nurses' response to working during a bioterrorism event is not well described. The limited number of studies regarding nurses' concerns, fears, and anxieties is focused on nurses' experiences in natural disaster or war situations. Additional studies are needed to validate the appropriateness of applying findings from disaster response studies to bioterrorism events. During bioterrorism events, nurses will be expected to provide physical care and emotional and psychologic support for victims and victims' families. Realistic bioterrorism plans should incorporate strategies to support nurses and address their physical, psychologic, and emotional issues. Strategies to optimize safe working conditions and minimize psychologic trauma such as technical training regarding bioterrorism agents and debriefing opportunities should be included.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1992

Patterns of service utilisation following the 1989 Newcastle earthquake: findings from phase 1 of the Quake Impact Study.

A screening questionnaire was distributed to 5,000 adult members of the community six months after the 1989 Newcastle earthquake, with a response rate of 63 per cent (n = 3,007). The mean age of respondents was 46.7 years and 58 per cent were female. Subjects' earthquake experiences were rated in terms of weighted indices of exposure to threat and disruption. Psychological morbidity was measured using the General Health Questionnaire and the Impact of Event Scale. Subjects were asked to indicate which of a range of general and disaster-related support services they had used in dealing with the stressful effects of the earthquake. It was estimated that 21.3 per cent of the adult population used general and/or disaster-related support services. Users of these services reported greater exposure to threat and/or disruption and had higher levels of psychological distress than nonusers. However, a high level of use of general services and reliance on medical services were related more to psychological morbidity than degree of exposure to earthquake-related events. Overall, the Newcastle community's needs for assistance in the aftermath of the earthquake were effectively absorbed by the existing support services and the resources marshalled to supplement those services. Individuals and organisations mobilised following natural disasters need to be strengthened by enhancing the capacity of support service workers to identify and manage psychological distress in their clients.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Chemical fate of arsenic and other metals in groundwater of Bangladesh: experimental measurement and chemical equilibrium model.

The presence of toxic level of inorganic arsenic in groundwater used for drinking in Bangladesh and neighboring India is unfolding as one of the worst natural disaster in the region. The purpose of this work is to ascertain the chemical fate of arsenic and other metals in groundwater of Bangladesh. A combination of techniques was used to measure 24 metals, 6 anions, Eh, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and temperature to understand the distribution of components which were then used in computational chemical equilibrium model, MINEQL+, for detailed speciation. It was found that the fate of arsenic and its speciation were inextricably linked to the formation of hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) and its kinetic. The HFO induced natural attenuation removes 50-75% of total arsenic in first 24 h through a first order kinetics. Adsorption on HFO is the predominant mode of removal of arsenic, iron, manganese, and most trace metals. The equilibrium model points to the presence of excess active sites for the removal of arsenic. MINEQL+ shows that significantly higher concentration of HFO forming iron is required to remove arsenic below maximum contamination level (MCL) of 50 microg/L than predicted by stoichiometry. The practical implication of this work is the prediction of water quality based on models.

Arsenic↗
PubMed2005

Surveillance for illness and injury after hurricane Katrina--New Orleans, Louisiana, September 8-25, 2005.

Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, resulting in extensive structural damage and severe flooding from breached levees in and around New Orleans, Louisiana. The public health infrastructure of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH) was damaged extensively, limiting surveillance for illnesses, injuries, and toxic exposures. On September 9, 2005, LDHH, CDC, and functioning emergency treatment resources (i.e., hospitals, disaster medical assistance teams, and military aid stations) established an active surveillance system to detect outbreaks of disease and characterize post-hurricane injuries and illnesses. As of September 25, the system had monitored 7,508 reports of health-related events at participating facilities. Trends observed in the data prompted investigations of respiratory and rash illnesses, but no major outbreaks of disease or hazardous environmental exposures were detected. These data also were used to identify post-hurricane injury patterns and to guide prevention messages to residents and relief workers. A natural disaster of the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina requires a sustained response and a detailed plan for return to pre-hurricane surveillance activities.

Disasters↗
PubMed2005

Acehnese reefs in the wake of the Asian tsunami.

The Sumatra-Andanaman tsunami was one of the greatest natural disasters in recorded human history. Here, we show that on the northwest coast of Aceh, Indonesia, where the tsunami was most ferocious, the damage to corals, although occasionally spectacular, was surprisingly limited. We detected no change in shallow coral assemblages between March 2003 and March 2005, with the exception of one site smothered by sediment. Direct tsunami damage was dependent on habitat and largely restricted to corals growing in unconsolidated substrata, a feature unique to tsunami disturbance. Reef condition, however, varied widely within the region and was clearly correlated with human impacts prior to the tsunami. Where fishing has been controlled, coral cover was high. In contrast, reefs exposed to destructive fishing had low coral cover and high algal cover, a phase shift the tsunami may exacerbate with an influx of sediments and nutrients. Healthy reefs did not mitigate the damage on land. Inundation distance was largely determined by wave height and coastal topography. We conclude that although chronic human misuse has been much more destructive to reefs in Aceh than this rare natural disturbance, human modification of the reef did not contribute to the magnitude of damage on land.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hurricane Floyd. Response of the Pitt County Medical Community.

The financial impact of Hurricane Floyd on the medical community is still being tabulated. Initial estimates indicate a $5.8 million loss to UHS in operating revenue. Additional hospital costs include $568,000 for overtime pay, $310,000 for special equipment including helicopters and general supplies, and $1.2 million in "bonus pay" to the hospital's 6000 employees. The ECU School of Medicine suffered losses estimated at $3.6 million, including lost revenue, overtime, and salaries paid when clinics and services were shut down. Most private offices suffered from lost revenues and occasionally from flood damage to property. Hurricane Floyd was the most costly disaster to hit Eastern North Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic United States. The medical community and its patients were severely challenged from the terrible effects of flooding, but the collaborative efforts of a great number of individuals and a spirit of teamwork came together to provide continued health care to the region. It is very likely that the preventive measures enacted both before and after the storm averted illness and injury, and saved lives. Ingenuity, innovation, and optimal use of available resources allowed Pitt County Memorial Hospital and its surrounding medical community to stay in operation. We have learned a great deal from these experiences that will help us plan for future natural disasters.

Disasters↗
PubMed2000

If a population crashes in prehistory, and there is no paleodemographer there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Catastrophic episodes (e.g., epidemics, natural disasters) strike with only limited regard for age. A large percentage of catastrophic mortality in a population can lead to a death distribution that resembles the living distribution, which includes greater numbers of older children, adolescents, and young adults than typical mortality profiles. This paper examines both the population implications of a large catastrophic mortality event, based on the Black Death as it ravaged medieval Europe, and its long-term effects on age-at-death distributions. An increased prevalence of epidemic disease is a common feature of reconstructions of the shift to agriculture and the rise of urban centers. The model begins with a hypothetical Medieval living population. This population is stable and characterized by slow growth. It has fertility and mortality rates consistent with a natural-fertility, agrarian population. The effects of catastrophic episodes are simulated by projecting the model population and subjecting it to one large (30% mortality) catastrophic episode as part of a 100-year population projection. A pair of Leslie matrices forms the basis of the projection. The catastrophic episode has important, long-term effects on both the living population and the cumulative distribution of death. The living population fails to recover from plague losses; at the end of the projection, population is still less than 75% its pre-plague level. The age-at-death distribution takes on the juvenile-young adult-heavy profile characteristic of many archaeological samples. The cumulative death profile based on the projection differs from that produced by the stable model significantly (P < 0.05) for 25-50 years after the plague episode, depending on sample size.

Adolescent↗