Haiti’s earthquake caused untold numbers of new disabilities across the age spectrum, from infants and children to elderly individuals. Amputations, spinal cord and brain injuries, complex multiple fractures, and other massive trauma will leave residual impairments, precipitating pressing needs at both the individual and societal levels. Short-term priorities include clinical stabilization, wound healing, and surgical […]
Abstract Topics: Emergency Preparedness
Preparing for and responding to pandemic influenza: implications for people with disabilities.
State, local, tribal, and territorial emergency managers and public health officials must address the specific needs of people with disabilities in their pandemic influenza plans. Evidence from Hurricane Katrina indicated that this population was disproportionately affected by the storm and aftermath. People with disabilities, particularly those who require personal assistance and those who reside in […]
Effective health risk communication about pandemic influenza for vulnerable populations.
The consequences of pandemic influenza for vulnerable populations will depend partly on the effectiveness of health risk communications. Strategic planning should fully consider how life circumstances, cultural values, and perspectives on risk influence behavior during a pandemic. We summarize recent scientific evidence on communication challenges and examine how sociocultural, economic, psychological, and health factors can […]
Protecting vulnerable populations from pandemic influenza in the United States: a strategic imperative.
Protecting vulnerable populations from pandemic influenza is a strategic imperative. The US national strategy for pandemic influenza preparedness and response assigns roles to governments, businesses, civic and community-based organizations, individuals, and families. Because influenza is highly contagious, inadequate preparedness or untimely response in vulnerable populations increases the risk of infection for the general population. Recent […]
Comfort in the eye of the storm: a survey of evacuees with special medical needs.
INTRODUCTION: This article reports on a descriptive study conducted in a Medical Special Needs Shelter with evacuees from Hurricane Gustav in 2008. This shelter was operated by the faculty, students and staff of the University of Texas at Tyler in Tyler, TX. METHODS: A descriptive survey approach was used to determine the perception of the […]
Disaster preparedness of households with special needs in southeastern Pennsylvania.
BACKGROUND: Individuals with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable in evacuation emergencies, and they face numerous challenges accessing resources for response and recovery. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the preparedness behaviors of households with and without special-needs members. METHODS: A random-digit-dial telephone survey was conducted of 501 adults in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2008. […]
Disparities in influenza treatment among disabled Medicaid patients in Georgia.
OBJECTIVES: We explored possible disparities in seasonal influenza treatment in Georgia’s disabled Medicaid population. We sought to determine whether racial/ethnic, geographic, or gender disparities existed in antiviral drugs usage in the treatment of influenza. METHODS: Medicaid claims were analyzed from 69 556 clients with disabilities enrolled in a Georgia Medicaid disease management program. RESULTS: There […]
Issues, considerations and recommendations on emergency preparedness for vulnerable population groups.
The Workshop on Emergency Preparedness for Vulnerable Population Groups was held on 2 and 3 March 2009 in Ottawa, ON, Canada. The purpose of the workshop was to enhance communications within the emergency community response network and to identify the needs and gaps of emergency preparedness against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives events for […]
When ageing and disasters collide: lessons from 16 international case studies.
Sixteen case studies examined the impact of various natural disasters and conflict-related emergencies on older people, the strengths and gaps in emergency planning, response and recovery, and the contributions older people made to their families and communities. Case examples were chosen from both developed and developing countries. Older persons suffered disproportionate impacts in several cases. […]
When ageing and disasters collide: lessons from 16 international case studies.
Sixteen case studies examined the impact of various natural disasters and conflict-related emergencies on older people, the strengths and gaps in emergency planning, response and recovery, and the contributions older people made to their families and communities. Case examples were chosen from both developed and developing countries. Older persons suffered disproportionate impacts in several cases. […]