The effects of disasters may be divided into health effects and other effects.
Health Effects
- Injuries & Deaths
- Emotional Stress and Psychological Reactions
- Epidemics
- Increase in indigenous diseases
Other Effects
- Food Shortage
- Disruption of Services / Infrastructure Damage
- Property Damage
- Environmental Damage
Post Disaster Public Health Challenges
Major Public Health Issues (Post disaster)
Environmental pollution
- Water Contamination
- Poor Sanitation
Malnutrition
- Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM)
- Vitamin A deficiency
Epidemics
- Spread of infectious diseases
Causes of Outbreaks of Infectious Disease in Disasters
- Population displacement
- Environmental changes
- Loss of public utilities
- Disruption of basic health services
- Impact of food scarcity and hunger
Factors for Disease Transmission after a Disaster
- Environmental considerations
- Endemic organisms
- Population characteristics
- Pre- event structure and public health
- Type and magnitude of the disaster
Common Modes of Transmission
Person-to-person
Feco-oral/Enteric
- Shigella, Cholera, Typhoid, Hepatitis
Vectors
Specific Infectious Diseases after Disasters
- Measles
- Acute Respiratory Infection
- Cholera
- Shigellosis
- Malaria
- Typhoid
- Hepatitis
- Meningitis
In displaced populations 80 –90% of deaths occur due to 5 conditions:
- Malnutrition
- Measles
- Acute respiratory infection
- Diarrheal diseases (Cholera, Shigella)
- Malaria
Diagnosis and Treatment
As there are large numbers of patients, limited resources and austere conditions, one has to rely on
- Clinical Diagnosis
- Empirical Treatment
Measles –diagnosis
a. Fever
b. 3 Cs
- Cough
- Coryza
- Conjunctivitis
c. Rash
Measles Vaccination
Early in the emergency situation
– All children 6 months to 5 years
– Long term situations children 9 months to 5 years
– Any child vaccinated between 6 and 9 months -revaccinate at 9 month
If insufficient vaccine available, in order of priority
– undernourished children 6 month to 12 years
– all other children ages 6 to 23 months
– all other children 24-59 months
Concurrent vitamin A administration
Acute Respiratory Infections
Acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of death among effected populations. Pathogens involved are a variety of viruses and bacteria.
Control:
Provide adequate space, shelter, clothing, blankets, and ventilation
Cholera –Diagnosis
- Severe dehydration
- Rice water stools
- Painless
- Huge volumes
- Vomiting
Shigellosis –Diagnosis
- Bloody stools
- Cramps
- Fever
Malaria –Diagnosis
- Fever
- Jaundice
- Cerebral symptoms
- Renal failure
- Splenomegaly
Vector Control Methods
1. Habitat Control 2. Reducing Contact
3. Chemical Control
- Insecticides, larvicides, rodenticides
- Repellents
Insecticide use must be monitored by professionals
4. Biological Control
Physical screens can be used to control immediate problem. For the longer term -make environment less favorable for the vectors.
Following steps can be taken as well:
Improve personal hygiene through:
- Sanitation
- Drainage
- Garbage disposal
- Food storage and handling practices
- Remove stagnate water
- Camp location
Vector Borne Diseases
Disaster environments are very conducive to the proliferation of diseases-carrying insects and rodents (vectors).
Diseases such as malaria, filariasis, dengue, yellow fever, encephalitis, scabies, scrub typhus, plague, endemic typhus, relapsing fever, leptospirosis are vector borne.
Typhoid Fever –diagnosis
- Rose spots
- Fever
- Bradycardia
Hepatitis Diagnosis
Meningococcal Meningitis –Diagnosis
- Fever
- Headache
- Neck stiffness
- Purpuric rash
- Purulent CSF
Effects of Disaster and Public Health Challenges – howMed
The effects of disasters may be divided into health effects and other effects.
Health Effects
Other Effects
Post Disaster Public Health Challenges
Major Public Health Issues (Post disaster)
Environmental pollution
Malnutrition
Epidemics
Causes of Outbreaks of Infectious Disease in Disasters
Factors for Disease Transmission after a Disaster
Common Modes of Transmission
Person-to-person
Feco-oral/Enteric
Vectors
Specific Infectious Diseases after Disasters
In displaced populations 80 –90% of deaths occur due to 5 conditions:
Diagnosis and Treatment
As there are large numbers of patients, limited resources and austere conditions, one has to rely on
Measles –diagnosis
a. Fever
b. 3 Cs
c. Rash
Measles Vaccination
Early in the emergency situation
– All children 6 months to 5 years
– Long term situations children 9 months to 5 years
– Any child vaccinated between 6 and 9 months -revaccinate at 9 month
If insufficient vaccine available, in order of priority
– undernourished children 6 month to 12 years
– all other children ages 6 to 23 months
– all other children 24-59 months
Concurrent vitamin A administration
Acute Respiratory Infections
Acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of death among effected populations. Pathogens involved are a variety of viruses and bacteria.
Control:
Provide adequate space, shelter, clothing, blankets, and ventilation
Cholera –Diagnosis
Shigellosis –Diagnosis
Malaria –Diagnosis
Vector Control Methods
1. Habitat Control 2. Reducing Contact
3. Chemical Control
Insecticide use must be monitored by professionals
4. Biological Control
Physical screens can be used to control immediate problem. For the longer term -make environment less favorable for the vectors.
Following steps can be taken as well:
Improve personal hygiene through:
Vector Borne Diseases
Disaster environments are very conducive to the proliferation of diseases-carrying insects and rodents (vectors).
Diseases such as malaria, filariasis, dengue, yellow fever, encephalitis, scabies, scrub typhus, plague, endemic typhus, relapsing fever, leptospirosis are vector borne.
Typhoid Fever –diagnosis
Hepatitis Diagnosis
Meningococcal Meningitis –Diagnosis