Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness最新文献

This prospective observational study examined changing trends of excess self-protective behavior (EPB), and their association with perceived risk, perceived severity, and irrational beliefs about prevention during the Chinese COVID-19 epidemic. Participants were recruited for an online panel survey. There are 150 participants for the baseline and 102 for the final survey. There were 5 waves of interviews. Perceptions of risk and disease severity were measured by single items. Irrational beliefs about prevention and EPB comprised 5 common prevention misconceptions. Descriptive statistics and the CATMOD program were used for data analysis. The prevalence of participants perceiving personal risk of contracting COVID-19 and severe consequences of the disease was 18.6% and 25.5%, respectively, at baseline, and declining to 4.9% and 17.6% at final observation. The 5 selected EPB also showed a diminishing trend. Belief in COVID-19 prevention myths trended upwards. Perceived risk was positively associated with each EPB, and perceived severity with disinfection of clothes and hoarding of products. Myth adherence was positively associated with disinfection of clothes and both hand washing and sanitization. This study yields new information about EPB among the Chinese public. Policy modifications and public education interventions are essential for minimizing the adverse health effects of subscribing to irrational beliefs.

Objectives: Climate anxiety has a negative impact on the mental health and psychological wellbeing of the vulnerable population. The goal is to assess many factors that affect mental health and psychological wellbeing, as well as how climate change affects mental health in Pakistan's vulnerable population.

Methods: This study provides evidence-based insights on the long- and medium-term impacts of extreme weather events on mental health. To obtain information on these variables, this research uses a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional survey design with a multivariate regression model for empirical tests on a sample of parents and children with an impact on mental health from climate change anxiety.

Results: Results indicate that individuals experience shock and climate change anxiety, and their effects on mental health and psychological wellbeing. Climate change can have detrimental effects on children's mental health. (1) disaster risk health (2) children's stress index (3) public health concerns, (4) climate change anxiety, (5) generalized anxiety disorder, and (6) major depression disorder, as reported by the children with mental health outcomes.

Conclusions: The findings of this study show that climate change has a stressful effect on mental health. The paper concludes with a discussion on strategies to address the anticipated mental health issues among children due to climate change.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop the Nurse Competency Assessment Scale in Disaster Management (NCASDM) and to conduct psychometric evaluation.

Methods: It is a scale development study. Research data were collected between January and May 2023. In the sample of the study, as stated in the literature, it was aimed to reach at least 10 times the number of draft scale items (n = 600). The psychometric properties of the scale were tested with 697 nurses working in four different hospitals. A three-stage structure was used in the analysis of data: (1) creating the item pool, (2) preliminary evaluation of items, (3) refining of the scale and evaluation of psychometric properties. The content validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and temporal stability of the scale were evaluated according to the scale development guidelines.

Results: The scale items were obtained from online, semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews conducted with nurses who experienced disasters or worked in disasters. The content validity index of the scale was found to be 0.95. According to the exploratory factor analysis, it was found that the scale consisted of 43 items and two subscales, and the subscales explained 79.094% of the total variance. The compliance indices obtained as a result of confirmatory factor analysis were acceptable and at good levels.

Conclusions: The NCASDM was found to be a psychometrically valid and reliable measurement tool. It can be used to evaluate the competency of nurses related to disaster management.

Objectives: Terrorist attacks on the aviation sector represent a significant security challenge due to the high-profile status of airports and aircraft. These attacks not only jeopardize global security but also have severe public health repercussions, leading to widespread casualties and psychological distress.

Methods: This study conducted a comprehensive retrospective analysis using data from the Global Terrorism Database to explore the patterns, frequencies, and impacts of terrorist attacks on the aviation sector worldwide. The analysis spanned incidents from 1970 to 2020, focusing on attack types, affected regions, and the direct and indirect health consequences arising from these incidents.

Results: Over the 50-year period, the study identified 1183 terrorist attacks targeting the aviation sector. Bombings and explosions emerged as the most common and deadliest forms of attack, responsible for the majority of fatalities and injuries. The data also highlighted significant regional disparities, with certain areas experiencing higher frequencies of attacks and more severe outcomes. Notably, North America bore a disproportionately high number of fatalities, primarily due to the events of September 11, 2001.

Conclusions: The findings emphasize the ongoing and evolving threat of terrorism in the aviation industry, underscoring the critical need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to security and public health preparedness. Future strategies should prioritize the integration of advanced technological solutions, enhanced international cooperation, and thorough public health planning to mitigate the impact of terrorist attacks on aviation effectively.

During the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of patients experienced breathlessness, which progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome, leading to the need for supplemental oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation. With each passing day, the need for medical oxygen increased and simultaneously medical oxygen reserves in the country were getting depleted. Government agencies deployed multipronged strategies to ensure that the hospitals had an adequate supply of medical oxygen. Mechanisms and formulae were devised for the rational allocation of medical oxygen to various regions in the country; the production of medical oxygen was boosted along with the curtailment of oxygen usage in industries; and efficient supply chain management, which included "Oxygen Express"- special trains for transporting oxygen, aircrafts for transporting medical oxygen, creating green corridors and real-time monitoring of oxygen levels using information technology. The usage and promotion of indigenous PSA oxygen technology augmented the medical oxygen generation capacity at the health care facility level. This emergency situation demonstrated a need for strengthening established intersectoral coordination mechanisms for swift and effective responses to similar situations in future. Various strategies adopted by the Central Government and other government agencies to a large extent helped in addressing the medical oxygen emergencies.

Objectives: This study analyzes disparities in initial health care responses in Turkey and Syria following the 2023 earthquakes.

Methods: Using Humanitarian Data Exchange, Crude Mortality Rates (CMR) and injury rates in both countries were calculated, and temporal trends of death tolls and injuries in the first month post- catastrophe were compared. World Health Organization (WHO) Flash Appeal estimated funding requirements, and ratios of humanitarian aid personnel in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams per population from ReliefWeb and MAPACTION data were used to gauge disparities.

Results: 56 051 096 individuals were exposed, with Turkey having 44 million vs 12 million in Syria. Turkey had higher CMR in affected areas (10.5 vs. 5.0 per 10,000), while Syria had higher CMR in intensely seismic regions (9.3 vs. 7.7 per 1,000). Turkey had higher injury rates (24.6 vs. 9.9 per 10 000). Death and injury rates plateaued in Syria after 3 days, but steadily rose in Turkey. Syria allocated more funding for all priorities per population except health care facilities' rehabilitation. Turkey had 219 USAR teams compared to Syria's 6, with significantly more humanitarian aid personnel (23 vs. 2/100,000).

Conclusions: Significant disparities in the initial health care response were observed between Turkey and Syria, highlighting the need for policymakers to enhance response capabilities in conflict-affected events to reduce the impact on affected populations.

Narrative abstract: The 2023 Turkish-Syrian earthquakes, the most devastating in the region since 1939, heightened challenges in Syria's health care system amid ongoing conflict, disrupting Gaziantep's humanitarian aid supply route. The initial health care responses post-earthquakes in Turkey and Syria were analyzed through a descriptive study, where Crude Mortality Rates (CMR) and injury rates during the first week were calculated. The World Health Organization's funding priorities and the ratio of humanitarian aid personnel in Urban Search and Rescue teams per population were assessed. Turkey had 4-fold higher earthquake exposure and experienced higher CMR and injuries per population, while Syria had higher CMR in intensely seismic regions. Temporal trends showed plateaued death and injury rates in Syria within 3 days, while Turkey's continued to increase. Syria required more funding across nearly all priorities while Turkey had more humanitarian aid personnel per population. Significant health care response disparities were observed, emphasizing the imperative for policymakers to enhance initial responses in conflict-affected events.

Objectives: A retrospective naturalistic evaluation was undertaken to identify if pre- and post-disaster factors may predict the likelihood of those considered "at risk" of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) entering a post-disaster clinical treatment program.

Methods: The intake data of 881 people referred to the program following the Queensland (Australia) natural disasters of 2010-11 was evaluated. Those referred scored >2 on the Primary Care PTSD scale. Assessment included the disaster exposure experience, demographic and clinical information, and measures of coping and resilience. Descriptive analyses and a Classification Tree Analysis (CTA) were undertaken to ascertain which factors may predict treatment participation.

Results: The treatment group (TG) in comparison to the non-treatment group (NTG) were more likely to perceive their life was threatened (85.1% vs 8.1%), less able to cope (67% vs 25.8%) and less resilient (4.2% vs 87.5%). The CTA using all the assessment variables found the Connor-Davidson (2-item scale) (P < 0.001), degree of property damage (P < 0.001), financial losses (P < 0.001), perception their life was threatened (P < 0.001) and insurance claims (P < 0.003) distinguished the TG from the NTG.

Conclusions: The study identified factors that distinguished the TG from the NTG and predicted the likelihood of participation in a post-disaster mental health treatment.