Disaster medicine and public health preparedness
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Dec 2011
Health care workers' ability and willingness to report to work during public health emergencies.
We conducted a county-wide survey to assess the ability and willingness of health care workers to report to work during a pandemic influenza and a severe earthquake and to identify barriers and strategies that would help them report to work. ⋯ The majority of the King County health care workforce is willing and able to respond to an influenza pandemic or a severe earthquake.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Dec 2011
Historical ArticleResults of rapid needs assessments in rural and urban Iowa following large-scale flooding events in 2008.
On June 8 and 9, 2008, more than 4 inches of rain fell in the Iowa-Cedars River Basin causing widespread flooding along the Cedar River in Benton, Linn, Johnson, and Cedar Counties. As a result of the flooding, there were 18 deaths, 106 injuries, and over 38,000 people displaced from their homes; this made it necessary for the Iowa Department of Health to conduct a rapid needs assessment to quantify the scope and effect of the floods on human health. ⋯ This exercise highlights the need for improved risk communication measures and ongoing surveillance and relief measures. It also demonstrates the utility of rapid needs assessment survey tools and suggests that increasing use of such surveys can have significant public health benefits.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Oct 2011
Review Historical ArticleRole of academic institutions in community disaster response since september 11, 2001.
To describe the role of academic institutions in the community response to Federal Emergency Management Agency-declared disasters from September 11, 2001, to February 1, 2009. ⋯ Since September 11, 2001, the participation of academic institutions in community disaster response has contributed to community resilience and the achievement of specific dimensions of disaster preparedness and response.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Oct 2011
Letter Historical ArticleAnthrax attacks: lessons learned on the 10th anniversary of the anthrax attacks.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Sep 2011
Trends in probable PTSD in firefighters exposed to the World Trade Center disaster, 2001-2010.
We present the longest follow-up, to date, of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City firefighters who participated in the rescue/recovery effort. ⋯ Probable PTSD continues to be associated with early WTC arrival even 9 years after the terrorist attacks. Concurrent conditions and behaviors, such as respiratory symptoms, exercise, and alcohol use also play important roles in contributing to PTSD symptoms.