Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
The Richter scale is the most commonly used scale to report the
strength or the amount of energy released by an earthquake. It is
calculated from the amplitude of the largest seismic wave
recorded for a given earthquake and reported on a logarithmic
scale. For each whole number increment of the Richter scale
score, the strength of the earthquake increases ten times. A
level-8 earthquake on the Richter scale is ten times stronger than
a level-7 earthquake. However, the Richter scale itself does not
reflect the severity of impact upon human populations.
The Mercalli scale on the other hand, indicates the amount of
damage and destruction from an earthquake. The scale has no
mathematical basis and is composed of 12 levels of increasing
intensity that ranges from imperceptible shaking to catastrophic
destruction (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014).
What are the known factors associated with adverse health outcomes?
What are the known risk factors associated with adverse health outcomes?
How is it reported?
Scale
Western Pacific
South-Western Indian
Ocean
What are the known risk factors associated with adverse health outcomes?
3. Food use.
As food security continues to decrease, actions taken to sustain
survival become less reversible. When people start to sell
household possessions and productive tools, they lose their
capacity to generate income (endowments) to exchange for food
and other necessities (entitlements). This generates a vicious
cycle that continues to worsen the food insecurity.
What are the health impacts of droughts and famines?
Young children and women are the group most at risk in drought
and famine situations. It is important to give priority to child and
maternal health care as well as nutritional intervention and child
immunisation. Both physical and economic access to food that
meets peoples dietary needs and food preferences must be
considered in the case of famine. Relief organisations must also
pay attention to micronutrient deficiency in the case of long-term
feeding camps and food aid.
Both heat waves and cold waves are associated with increased
mortality. When the core body temperature goes far beyond or
below its normal temperature (37C), and the body fails to selfregulate the core temperature, vital organs are at risk. Heat
strokes are common in heat waves and hypothermia is
common during cold waves. Both conditions can be fatal and are
best treated with supportive care in hospital settings. Extreme
temperatures also trigger the deterioration of respiratory diseases
and onset of cardiovascular episodes (Chan et al., 2013). In
extremes, it might lead to excessive deaths. A study in Hong
Kong found that an average 1C increase in daily mean
4.16 Epidemic
What is an epidemic?
An outbreak of infectious disease can be defined as an
increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is
normally expected in a specific population and area within a short
period of time. An epidemic occurs when an outbreak spreads
through a larger geographical area with a higher proportion of
infected people. Epidemics are classified under the biological
category of natural hazards (ICRC, 2014). They are considered as
disasters as they affect large quantities of people and result in
public health emergencies.
How is it reported?
Disease outbreaks are generally classified by the level of disease
intensity, into one of the following 4 categories:
Sporadic - a disease that occurs infrequently and irregularly
Endemic a disease within the expected prevalence that is
localised in a geographical region and community (E.g. Malaria in
Africa).
Epidemic a disease whose incidence increases unusually and
spreads through a larger geographical area (E.g. SARS in 2003).
Pandemic When an epidemic becomes widespread and affects
a sizeable portion of people in a region, a continent, or the world
(e.g. pandemic influenza).
(CDC, 2012)
What are the known risk factors associated with adverse health
outcomes?
and 40%, while the rate among the general population ranges
between 5% and 10% (Neria Y et al, 2008).
Common types of psychological disorders after disasters include:
1. Acute Stress Disorder
It is a disorder characterised by acute stress reactions
manifested between 2 days and 4 weeks after experiencing
traumatic or stressful events (Bryant et al., 2011).
2. Generalised Anxiety Disorder
It is a disorder characterised by experiencing excessive
anxiety for over 6-months (Andrew et al., 2010).
3. Major Depressive Disorder
It is a condition of having depressed mood and/or loss of
interest for at least two weeks and at least five of the
following symptoms, such as depressed mood of the day,
diminished interest in all activities, significant unintentional
weight loss or gain, insomnia or sleeping too much,
agitation or psychomotor retardation noticed by others,
fatigue or loss of energy, excessive guilt, diminished ability
to concentrate, recurrent thoughts of death (APA, 2000).
4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
It is a disorder very similar to acute stress disorder,
characterised by experiences of recurrent flashbacks about
the traumatic event and other acute stress symptoms. It is a
diagnosis used for individuals presented with the duration of
symptoms for more than one month. (DSM-IV-TR, 2000) To
read more about PTSD, you can click on the following
link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83241/.
The psychosocial approach to mental health response
Natural hazards
11.
Non-communicable diseases
12.
Nutrition
13.
Radiation emergencies
14.
15.
16.
Water, sanitations, and hygiene
(WHO Fact Sheets, 2011)
To understand more on each health domain, you can click on the
following
link: http://www.who.int/hac/events/disaster_reduction_2011/en
/
List of Key Response Agencies
Abbreviation
Agencies
UNDCP
UNESCO
UNDP
WTO
UNHCR
UNICEF
UNEP
ILO
WIPO
FAO
USAID
UNFPA
UNIFEM
WHO
WHI
WFP
MSF
UNAIDS
UN
United Nations
IMF
IDA
GAVI
GFATM
GAIN
OHCHR
Rights
NIH
UNIDO
IFAD
UN-HABITAT
UNRWA
IAEA
CIDA
DFID
ICRC
IFRC