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Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Disasters
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Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Disasters

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Disaster Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 11174

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Curt A. Harris

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Disaster Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Interests: emergency and disaster global health; public health preparedness; healthcare preparedness; disaster education; disaster health sciences

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although disasters have impacted the public’s health for centuries, it was not until the early 2000s that the preparedness and response community began to make significant investments in public health preparedness. This is an ironic statement because disasters, by definition, are social events that affect populations. Consider the issues facing the world today: famine, COVID-19, monkeypox, the resurgence of polio, innumerable natural disasters, mass shootings, terrorist events, etc.; each of these places the public’s health at risk and, in cases of infectious disease outbreaks, relegates public health as the lead agency for the response. Leading an overall response is a relatively new concept for public health, but it is also a unique opportunity, one that allows our practitioners to showcase to the world the importance of public health preparedness and to elucidate the resources needed to complete the mission of increasing health resiliency. Public health is not afforded the luxury of turning a blind eye to disasters. It is incumbent upon public health practitioners to be proactive in our preparedness and mitigation activities to do the greatest good for the greatest number (i.e., population-level health) when, not if, the disaster strikes.

This Special Issue is designed to showcase the research, best practices, and lessons learned related to all disasters affecting the public’s health. The sharing of knowledge is an essential process to minimize repeated mistakes. All submitted manuscripts will go through a rigorous peer review process.

Dr. Curt A. Harris
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • public health preparedness
  • disaster health
  • disaster preparedness
  • mental health
  • emergency preparedness
  • healthcare preparedness
  • global health
  • disaster communications
  • disaster health sciences
  • vulnerable populations

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 340 KiB  
Article
Understanding Mothers’ Worries about the Effects of Disaster Evacuation on Their Children: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Chisato Yamazaki and Hisao Nakai
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1850; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031850 - 19 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1448
Abstract
In Japan, there is an imminent threat of major earthquakes and floods. Children’s health is increasingly at risk from climate-change-related disasters. The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to mothers’ worries about the effects of evacuation on their children. Participants [...] Read more.
In Japan, there is an imminent threat of major earthquakes and floods. Children’s health is increasingly at risk from climate-change-related disasters. The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to mothers’ worries about the effects of evacuation on their children. Participants were mothers whose children attended a childcare center in one municipality in Ishikawa, Japan. A cross-sectional design was used. A questionnaire was developed based on previous studies, and it was used to conduct a survey. A total of 1298 individuals who provided valid data were included in the analysis. The following factors were related to mothers’ worries about the effects of evacuation on their children: not having prepared a grab bag as a disaster risk reduction strategy, having no neighbors to help them in case of disaster, having children aged <3 years, and having children with allergies. The mothers of children <3 years old with allergies who are unprepared and have no social support are likely to worry about evacuating their children. Policymakers must be aware that the mothers of children aged <3 years and the mothers of children with allergies experience substantial concerns about the effects of evacuation on their children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Disasters)
13 pages, 456 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Disaster Preparedness Planning for Minority Older Adults: One Size Does Not Fit All
by Omolola E. Adepoju, Luz Herrera, Minji Chae and Daikwon Han
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 401; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010401 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2686
Abstract
By 2050, one in five Americans will be 65 years and older. The growing proportion of older adults in the U.S. population has implications for many aspects of health including disaster preparedness. This study assessed correlates of disaster preparedness among community-dwelling minority older [...] Read more.
By 2050, one in five Americans will be 65 years and older. The growing proportion of older adults in the U.S. population has implications for many aspects of health including disaster preparedness. This study assessed correlates of disaster preparedness among community-dwelling minority older adults and explored unique differences for African American and Hispanic older adults. An electronic survey was disseminated to older minority adults 55+, between November 2020 and January 2021 (n = 522). An empirical framework was used to contextualize 12 disaster-related activities into survival and planning actions. Multivariate logistic regression models were stratified by race/ethnicity to examine the correlates of survival and planning actions in African American and Hispanic older adults, separately. We found that approximately 6 in 10 older minority adults did not perceive themselves to be disaster prepared. Medicare coverage was positively associated with survival and planning actions. Income level and prior experience with disaster were related to survival actions in the African American population. In conclusion, recognizing the gaps in disaster-preparedness in elderly minority communities can inform culturally sensitive interventions to improve disaster preparedness and recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Disasters)
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12 pages, 620 KiB  
Article
Disaster Evacuation for Home-Based Patients with Special Healthcare Needs: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Yukari Matsumoto, Hisao Nakai, Yumi Koga, Tamayo Hasegawa and Yumiko Miyagi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15356; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215356 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1944
Abstract
Recent super-typhoons and torrential rains triggered by global warming have had disproportionately large effects on medically vulnerable people in Japan. This study aimed to identify factors associated with intention to evacuate to the nearest public shelter among family caregivers of pediatric patients receiving [...] Read more.
Recent super-typhoons and torrential rains triggered by global warming have had disproportionately large effects on medically vulnerable people in Japan. This study aimed to identify factors associated with intention to evacuate to the nearest public shelter among family caregivers of pediatric patients receiving home medical care. The study included family caregivers of these patients from the Department of Pediatrics, Fukuoka University Hospital, Japan, including family caregivers of young adults with special healthcare needs. An original questionnaire was prepared drawing on previous studies and used for an interview survey. Overall, 57 individuals provided valid data and were included in the analysis. Factors associated with evacuation intention were non-use of a home ventilator (odds ratio [OR] 3.99, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13–14.03) and not having made arrangements to use a non-public shelter (OR 7.29 95% CI: 1.62–32.88). This means that those who use mechanical ventilation or have secured alternative places to go if they need to evacuate their homes may not use the nearest public shelter in a disaster. We recommend that policy makers consider the use of mechanical ventilation and the availability of non-public shelters as predictors of evacuation behavior when considering disaster preparedness for these patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Disasters)
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21 pages, 1120 KiB  
Article
Breaking the Code: Considerations for Effectively Disseminating Mass Notifications in Healthcare Settings
by Curt Harris, James Zerylnick, Kelli McCarthy, Curtis Fease and Morgan Taylor
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11802; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811802 - 19 Sep 2022
Viewed by 2782
Abstract
Many healthcare facilities use code-based alert systems to notify staff of ongoing emergencies via public announcement systems. This study sought to assess the ability of clinical and non-clinical employees across the State of Georgia to correctly identify their facility’s emergency codes, assess employee’s [...] Read more.
Many healthcare facilities use code-based alert systems to notify staff of ongoing emergencies via public announcement systems. This study sought to assess the ability of clinical and non-clinical employees across the State of Georgia to correctly identify their facility’s emergency codes, assess employee’s opinions of emergency alert systems, and identify significant predictors of emergency code identification accuracy. Anonymous electronic surveys asked 304 employees at five facilities to identify the codes for 14 different emergencies. Participants correctly identified the emergency codes with 44.37% accuracy on average. The codes for fire, infant abduction, and cardiac arrest were most commonly identified correctly. Code identification accuracy was significantly associated with training at orientation, knowledge of emergency code activation procedures, facility experience, and the total number of facilities in an employee’s career. Most survey participants favored a code-based alert system over a plain language-based alert system, citing concerns of causing panic in patients and visitors, and of maintaining confidentiality and discretion. The low code identification accuracy suggests healthcare employees may have limited awareness of ongoing emergencies. Transitioning to plain language overhead emergency alerts will better position employees, as well as patients and visitors, to effectively respond to emergencies and disasters occurring within a healthcare facility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Disasters)
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Review

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25 pages, 2469 KiB  
Review
Decision Support Frameworks in Public Health Emergencies: A Systematic Review of Dynamic Models in Complex Contexts
by Alex S. Príncipe, Aloísio S. N. Filho, Bruna A. S. Machado, Josiane D. V. Barbosa, Ingrid Winkler and Cristiano V. Ferreira
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(17), 6685; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20176685 - 30 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1528
Abstract
Public health emergencies are extraordinary events of disease spread, with health, economic, and social consequences, which require coordinated actions by governments and society. This work aims to analyze scopes, application possibilities, challenges, and gaps of decision support frameworks in PHE management, using the [...] Read more.
Public health emergencies are extraordinary events of disease spread, with health, economic, and social consequences, which require coordinated actions by governments and society. This work aims to analyze scopes, application possibilities, challenges, and gaps of decision support frameworks in PHE management, using the components of the Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework (H-EDRM) and the Preparedness, Prevention, Response and Recovery Model (PPRR Model), providing guidelines for the development of new models. A systematic literature review was carried out using the Web of Science, Scopus, and Pubmed knowledge databases on studies published between 2016 and 2023, and thirty-six articles were selected. The outcomes show a concentration of frameworks on short-term emergency response operations, with a limited emphasis on the political and strategic components that drive actors and responsibilities. Management prioritizes monitoring, evaluation, and information management frameworks. However, the models need to overcome the challenges of multisectoral and interdisciplinary action, different levels of decisions and actors, data sharing, and development of common platforms of evidence for decisions fitted to the various emergencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Disasters)
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