Disaster medicine and public health preparedness
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Dec 2019
Lived Experience of Afghan Refugees in Iran Concerning Primary Health Care Delivery.
Access to primary health care (PHC) is very important for refugees. The aim of this study was to illuminate lived experience of Afghan refugees in Iran regarding PHC delivery. ⋯ Our results showed that Afghan refugees have several challenges in every stage of PHC delivery. Awareness of such problems can help medical personnel improve delivery of service to Afghan refugees, as well as using trained Afghani nurses to serve the refugees.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Dec 2019
Observational StudyRiots in Beirut: Description of the Impact of a New Type of Mass Casualty Event on the Emergency System in Lebanon.
In the summer of 2015, Beirut experienced a garbage crisis that led to rioting. Riot control measures resulted in multiple casualties. This study examines injury patterns of riot victims presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care center in a developing country. ⋯ Most patients had mild injuries on presentation. The emergency department experienced a high influx of patients. Complications and deaths can occur from seemingly nonlethal weapons used during riots and warrant effective prehospital and hospital disaster planning.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Jun 2019
Understanding the Impacts of Maritime Disruption Transportation to Hospital-Based Acute Health Care Supplies and Personnel in Coastal and Geographically Isolated Communities.
This study aimed to identify maritime transportation disruption impacts on available health care supplies and workers necessary to deliver hospital-based acute health care in geographically isolated communities post-disaster. ⋯ A maritime transportation disruption has the potential to impact the availability of hospital-based health care supplies and health care personnel necessary to deliver acute health care in coastal communities post-disaster. Multisector engagement is required to address complex interdependencies and competing priorities in emergency response. Additional research and public-private collaboration is necessary to quantify potential impacts of maritime transportation disruption on the acute health care system. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:440-448).
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Jun 2019
Hospitals' Preparedness to Treat Pediatric Patients During Mass Casualty Incidents.
Little is known about the preparedness of hospitals to care for pediatric patients during a major incident in Japan. This study assessed the disaster preparedness of a children's hospital in Japan by using a disaster drill.Materials and MethodsWe performed a triage drill with all hospitalized patients. The triage tags and medical records were reviewed retrospectively. We determined the efficacy of triage education, the validity of the Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) method for children, and the potential need for evacuation through the disaster drill. ⋯ Our findings suggest that disaster preparedness, such as educating hospital staff regarding disasters and establishing evacuation systems for a number of pediatric patients when a disaster happens, is essential for caring for hospitalized children during a mass casualty incident. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:429-432).
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Apr 2019
Volunteer First Responders for Optimizing Management of Mass Casualty Incidents.
Rapid response to a trauma incident is vital for saving lives. However, in a mass casualty incident (MCI), there may not be enough resources (first responders and equipment) to adequately triage, prepare, and evacuate every injured person. To address this deficit, a Volunteer First Responder (VFR) program was established. ⋯ The VFR program provides an important and effective life-saving resource to supplement emergency first response. Given the known importance of rapid response to trauma, VFRs likely contribute to reduced trauma mortality, although further research is needed in order to examine this question specifically. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:287-294).