Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Public health and natural disasters: disaster preparedness and response in health systems

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The number of natural disasters and the severity of their impact have increased in recent decades. These developments highlight the need for improved preparedness and response in the health sector, inter alia, and the important role of public health in disaster management. The purpose of this paper, which is based on a literature review, is to provide background information about the general framework of disaster management and present the core concepts of disaster preparedness and response in health systems. Three different strategies were used to collect information for this article. First, information was collected from various international databases. Then, the virtual health library for disasters provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WHO Health Action in Crisis (HAC) online sources were reviewed for relevant WHO and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) books, working papers and reports. Finally, PubMed abstracts were searched with key words and phrases. For greater completeness, five disaster journals were hand searched. Additional sources such as text books, working papers, and articles were included, relying on the bibliography of the original study mentioned in the introduction to this paper. The studies reviewed indicated that fragmented and response-oriented approaches have begun to change world wide, at least in the literature. Despite the publication of increasing numbers of research projects in disaster issues, there are still gaps in sharing experience through scientific papers, such as systematic evaluation of activities in different phases of disaster situations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Natural hazards can trigger technological hazards, which cause environmental and humanitarian disasters, especially in industrial infrastructure areas where extreme natural hazards, such as earthquakes or floods, can result in environmental disasters (UN-ISDR 2002).

  2. Modern societies are more dependent on services and infrastructure, including transport, water and sewerage, electricity, gas, drainage, storage facilities, and communications networks. Natural or other disasters causing a failure of these services can have considerable consequences, even for people in areas not directly affected (UN-ISDR 2002).

  3. Epidemic and insect infestation are not included because they are considered biological hazards, and wildfires are not included because of the debate as to whether they are natural or man-made disasters.

References

  • Armenian H, Melkonian A, Noji EK, Hovanesian AP (1997) Deaths and injuries arising from the earthquake in Armenia: a cohort approach. Int J Epidemiol 26(4):806–813

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arnold JL (2002) Disaster medicine in the 21st century: future hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks. Prehosp Disaster Med 17(1):3–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold JL (2005) Risk and risk assessment in health emergency management. Prehosp Disaster Med 20(3):143–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Dedeoglu N, Erengin H, Pala K (2000) Risk factors for death, injury and entrapment in 17 August 1999 earthquake of Golcuk. Toplum hekim 15(1):2–9

    Google Scholar 

  • De Ville de Goyet C (2000) Stop propagating disaster myths. Lancet 356:762–764

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • EMDAT Disaster Database (2006) EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, www.cred.be/emdat Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium (14.01.2006)

  • Global Forum Health Research (2001) Global Forum Health Research, 2001: “Health effects of conflicts and disasters; where is the evidence?” -Forum 5 Conference of the Global Forum for Health Research Geneva, October 9–12, 2001 http://www.who.int/disasters/repo/7443.pdf (20.10.2003)

  • Granot H (1999) Emergency inter-organizational relationships. Disaster Prev Manag 8(1):21–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guha-Sapir D, Lechat MF (1986) Reducing the impact of natural disasters: why aren’t we better prepared? Health Policy Plan 1(2):118–126, Oxford University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath R (1995) The Kobe earthquake some realities. Disaster Prev Manag 4(5):11–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsu EB, Ma M, Lin FY, VanRooyen MJ, Burkle JF (2002) Emergency medical assistance team response following Taiwan Chi-Chi earthquake. Prehosp Disaster Med 17(1):17–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsu EB, Jenckes MW, Catlett CL, Robinson KA, Feuerstein C, Cosgrove SE, Green GB, Bass EB (2004) Effectiveness of hospital staff mass-casualty incident training methods: a systematic literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med 19(3):191–199

    Google Scholar 

  • IDNDR-DIRDN (1996) “Cities at risk-making cities safer. …before disaster strikes” a ‘Stop Disasters’ publication for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction IDNDR 1996

  • IFRC (2000) World disasters report 2000: focus on public health SADAG Imprimierie, Bellegarde/Valserine, France

  • IFRC (2003) World disasters report 2003 http://www.ifrc.org/publicat/wdr2003 (01.09.2003)

  • ISDR (2002) “Living with risk” preliminary version, a global review of disaster reduction initiatives prepared as an inter-agency effort coordinated by the ISDR Secretariat Geneva

  • Kouzmin A, Jarman AMG, Rosenthal U (1995) Inter-organizational policy processes in disaster management. Disaster Prev Manag 4(2):20–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levett J, Erikel MN, Papanicolaou V, Yaylaci S, Tekeli S (2005) “Disaster management as a tool in solidarity building” paper presented at the 14th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine 16–20 May 2005 Edinburgh, Scotland

  • Loretti A (2000) The health sector in disaster reduction and emergency management. Keynote address delivered at the session managing and preparing for disasters of the International Public Health Congress ‘Health 21 in Action’ Istanbul, 8–12 October

  • Menoni S, Meroni F, Pergalani F, Petrini V, Luzi L, Zonno G (2000) Measuring the seismic vulnerability of strategic public facilities: response of the health-care systems. Disaster Prev Manag 9(1):29–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noji EK (1997) The nature of disaster: general characteristics and public health effects “Earthquakes”. In: Noji EK (ed) The public health consequences of disasters. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 3–20, 135–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Noji EK (2005) Disasters: introduction and state of art. Epidemiol Rev 27(1):3–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Noji EK, Toole MJ (1997) The historical developments of public health responses to disasters. Disasters 21(4):366–376

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • PAHO (1981) Emergency health management after natural disaster. PAHO, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • PAHO (1995) Guidelines for assessing disaster preparedness in the health sector. PAHO, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • PAHO (2000) Natural disasters: protecting the public’s health. PAHO Washington D.C. To obtain PAHO publications, visit their website at http://publications.paho.org or write to PAHO Sales and Distribution Center, PO Box 27, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701–0027, Fax: (301) 206–9789, E-mail: paho@pmds.co <mailto paho@pmds.com> m <mailto:paho@pmds.com>

  • PAHO (2003) Protecting new health facilities from natural disasters: guidelines for the promotion of disaster mitigation. PAHO, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • PAHO (2004) Guidelines for vulnerability reduction in the design of new health facilities. PAHO, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Pan African News Agency-PANA (1999) PANA, 1999 50 billion dollars spent on disasters annually. Pan African News Agency - Press Release on 6 July 1999 http://notes.reliefweb.int/w/rwbnsf/s/19097E1D96BE5907C12567A8004AD30F (06.04.2003)

  • Paton D (1996) Training disaster workers: promoting wellbeing and operational effectiveness. Disaster Prev Manag 5(5):11–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry RW, Lindell MK (2003) Preparedness for emergency response: guidelines for the emergency planning process. Disasters 27(4):336–350

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quarentelli EL (1997) Ten criteria for evaluating the management of community disasters. Disasters 21(1):39–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schultz CH, Koenig KL, Noji EK (1996) A medical disaster response to rescue immediate mortality after an earthquake. N Engl J Med 334(7):438–444

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson DM (2002) Earthquake drills and simulations in community based training and preparedness programmes. Disasters 26(1):55–69

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tekeli-Yeşil S (2002) Public health and natural disasters: disaster preparedness and response in health systems. Unpublished Master Thesis, Bielefeld Germany

  • TTB (2002) “17 Agustos 1999 Marmara ve 12 Kasim 1999 Bolu-Düzce Depremleri Sonrasinda Türk Tabipler Birligi Faliyetleri (Activities of Turkish Physicians Association after the Earthquakes at 17 August 1999 Marmara and 12 November 1999 Bolu-Düzce), 2002 TTB Ankara

  • UN (2003) United Nations population division world population prospects: the 2002 Revision, Population Database United Nations (26 February 2003) http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2002/wpp2002-HIGHLIGHTSrev1.PDF and http://esa.un.org/unpp (21.10.2003)

  • UN-ISDR (2002) Natural disasters and sustainable development: understanding the links between development, environment and natural disasters“ Background Paper No. 5 of Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Commission on Sustainable Development acting as the preparatory committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development Second preparatory session 28 January - 8 February 2002, submitted by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction www.unisdr.org (09.02.2003)

  • Van Rooyen M, Leaning J (2005) After the Tsunami-facing the public health challenges. N Engl J Med 352(5):435–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1994) “Disaster management: an opportunity for change?” United Nations World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction 23–27 May 1994 Yokohama, Japan

  • WHO (1998) “Health sector emergency preparedness guide: making a difference to vulnerability” written and typeset by Peter Koob, Tasmania State Emergency Service, for the Emergency Preparedness Program at the Department of Emergency and Humanitarian Action, World Health Organisation, Geneva, October 1998

  • WHO (1999) Community emergency preparedness: a manual for managers and policy-makers. WHO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2005) “Situation Report 25” on 23 January 05 http://www.who.int/hac/crises/international/asia_tsunami/sitrep/25/en/ (25.01.04)

  • WHO/EHA (2002) Disasters & emergencies definitions’-training package. WHO/EHA Pan African Emergency Training Centre, Addis Ababa, http://www.who.int/disasters/repo/7656.pdf (09.02.2003)

  • Wisner B, Adams J (2002) Environmental health in emergencies and disasters. WHO Malta

    Google Scholar 

  • Yahmed SB, Koob P (1996) Health sector approach to vulnerability reduction and emergency preparedness. World Health Stat Q 49:172–178

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swiss Tropical Institute, Department of Public Health & Epidemiology Socin Str. 57, P.O. Box 4002, Basel, Switzerland

    Sidika Tekeli-Yeşil

Authors
  1. Sidika Tekeli-Yeşil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sidika Tekeli-Yeşil.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tekeli-Yeşil, S. Public health and natural disasters: disaster preparedness and response in health systems. J Public Health 14, 317–324 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-006-0043-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-006-0043-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation