Mothers, particularly those who are breastfeeding, as well as their babies are often overlooked populations during natural disasters. Still, the ever-growing frequency and severity of natural disasters in the United States (US) have increased the likelihood that a breastfeeding family will experience a natural disaster. In 2019, 83% of all newborns received breastmilk, and 84% of Americans lived in an area that recently experienced a natural disaster. This scoping review aimed to identify ways to support breastfeeding women, infants, and young children during a natural disaster.

A search was performed using Embase, Scopus, PubMed, and CINHAL databases to identify articles published in the English language from September 2005—September 2023 according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Each article was chosen based on noted inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted per the pre-prepared protocol.

Ten articles were selected for the scoping review, examining key characteristics and recommendations. The authors of the included articles used varying approaches to present the information, and differing approaches to supporting breastfeeding during disasters were observed. Only 3 of the 10 articles were research studies, 3 were editorials, 2 were program descriptions or evaluations, 1 was an education article, and 1 was a report. All articles addressed women, pregnant or postpartum women, infants, and/or young children. All articles addressed hurricanes, and 1 article addressed 2 disasters: a winter storm and a hurricane.

Recommendations include the adoption of breastfeeding women, infants, and young children in disaster plans as a special population with unique needs, integration of breastfeeding support into disaster plans, and training disaster workers to support breastfeeding during disasters.

This study explores how we can improve the government’s research and technology for disasters and safety.

This study employs the Structural Equation Model (SEM) based on 268 experts’ perspectives.

R&D performance exerts a directly significant impact on R&D achievement with the coefficient of 0.429. Second, while professionality and environment of R&D do not show a direct effect on achievement, they exhibit an indirect effect on it with the coefficient of 1.124 and 0.354, respectively. Third, R&D professionality exerts a significant impact on the R&D environment (0.964), and R&D environment has a positive effect on R&D performance (0.827).

Governments and policymakers should develop disaster and safety policies by understanding direct and indirect effects and the relationship of factors related to R&D for improving R&D achievement.

Disasters pose serious threats to people’s health, including reproductive health (RH); therefore, we conducted this study to investigate Iranian women’s post-disaster RH challenges.

This study was conducted as a systematic review, and all published articles until the end of May 2022 were selected by searching in international and domestic scientific databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, SID, and Magiran. The quality assessment of the studies was done using the Strobe checklist. We conducted this research based on PRISMA guidelines and analyzed the content by qualitative content analysis method.

Twelve related articles were included (8 high quality and 4 medium quality). Based on these articles, factors affecting post-disaster Iranian women’s RH were divided into 2 categories: individual factors (physical injuries, psychological disorders, cultural and religious issues) and management factors (not prioritizing RH services in disasters, lack of supplies, suitable facilities and professional human resources, access limitation to RH care and services).

We must enhance post disaster RH status by adopting suitable policies and decision-making in disaster risk management. We should prioritize RH services during the disaster response phase, providing facilities, equipment, and specialized and trained human resources.

Evacuation can reduce morbidity and mortality by ensuring households are safely out of the path of, and ensuing impacts from, a disaster. Our goal was to characterize potential evacuation behaviors among a nationally representative sample.

We added 10 questions to the existing Porter Novelli’s (PN) ConsumerStyles surveys in Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Fall 2021.We conducted a weighted analysis using SAS 9.4 to examine distributions and estimate associations of potential evacuation behaviors of each survey separately.

When asked about barriers to evacuation if public authorities announced a mandatory evacuation because of a large-scale disaster, ~7% reported nothing would prevent them from evacuating. Over half of respondents across the 3 surveys (51.1%-52.4%) had no preparedness plans, and almost two-thirds of respondents (63.7%-66.2%) did not have an emergency supply kit.

Knowing potential evacuation behaviors can help frame messages and provide a starting point for interventions to improve disaster preparedness and response. Overall, data show that there is much work to be done regarding evacuation behaviors and overall preparedness in the United States. These data can be used to tailor public messaging and work with partners to increase knowledge about evacuation.

Natural disasters occur unexpectedly, leading to long-term consequences like obesity. That contributes to various noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. This review aimed to examine the link between natural disasters and obesity, along with related risk factors.

This systematic review aimed to examine the relationship between natural disasters and obesity, as well as the associated risk factors.

A thorough search was conducted using electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, HINARI, and Google Scholar. Additional articles were manually searched. Studies that reported weight gain and risk factors were included. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools. Data were collected from eligible articles and synthesized.

The participants in this research ranged from 3 months to 67 years old. Of the 17 articles, 11 focused on children, while the 5 focused on adults and 1 on adolescents. All studies followed a cohort design, with follow-up periods varying from 6 months to 15.5 years. Results indicated weight gain post-disaster, with risk factors including sedentary behavior, unhealthy eating habits, maternal high Body Mass Index (BMI), mixed feeding, stress, alcohol consumption, coastal residence, temporary housing, and timing from disaster onset.

This research emphasizes the significance of addressing post-disaster obesity as a pivotal aspect of public health, suggesting its integration with immediate priorities such as trauma management. Emphasizing its long-lasting effects across generations, the study offers policymakers valuable insights to develop effective approaches in tackling post-disaster obesity.

Psychological reactions in response to disasters have been associated with increased mental health (MH) symptomatology, decreased quality of life (QOL), and post-traumatic stress (PTSD). This study provides a rare opportunity to examine post disaster MH longitudinally in a sample of adolescents.

From 2018-20, adolescents (12-18 years, N=228) were interviewed about disaster exposure, QOL using the Adolescent Quality of Life-Mental Health Scale (AQOL-MHS), psychological symptoms, and diagnoses.

Having an MH diagnosis and PTSD are clear indicators of worse Emotional Regulation (ER) (P ≤ 0.03, P ≤ 0.0001) and Self-Concept (SC) (P ≤ 0.006, P ≤ 0.002) QOL. Girls were disproportionately affected in all models for SC and Social Context domains (P ≤ 0.0001, P ≤ 0.01). Interaction models results for ER (P ≤ 0.05) and SC (P ≤ 0.01) indicate that those with PTSD are improving over time at a greater rate than those without PTSD.

Recovery takes time and a clear sex disparity for girls was observed. Results for the different AQOL-MHS domains highlight how the challenges experienced by disasters are multifaceted. Knowing who is at greater risk can allow for better resource allocation and targeted population-based prevention strategies to promote and maintain MH and resolve risk factors for mental illnesses.

The scoping review aims to provide an overview of the existing literature to inform an understanding of pharmacists’ roles, skills, and knowledge requirements for Emergency Medical Teams responding to disasters or humanitarian crises.

The methodology utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, with methodology adapted by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Six databases were searched for sources published after 2000: PubMed, Mednar, Scopus, Defense Technical Information Centre, LILACS, and CINAHL. A manual search of grey literature was conducted to discover additional sources of information outside of the electronic databases.

Of the 427 initial studies and reports, 36 were selected for inclusion. Five key themes on role requirements were identified: supply chain management; establishment and operationalization of pharmacies; stakeholder communication, collaboration, and liaison; direct patient care; and response management and coordination. Each theme was delineated into subthemes linked with requisite skills and knowledge.

This scoping review identifies key roles, skills, and knowledge requirements of pharmacist contributions to Emergency Medical Teams responding to disasters or emergencies.

Expanding staff levels is a strategy for hospitals to increase their surge capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether emergency health care workers (HCWs) are willing to work during crises or disasters, and which working conditions influence their decisions.

HCWs in the emergency departments (EDs) and intensive care units (ICUs) of 5 Dutch hospitals were surveyed about various disaster scenarios. For each scenario, HCWs were asked about their willingness to work (WTW) and which conditions would influence their decision. Knowledge, perceived risk, and danger were assessed per scenario.

A total of 306 out of 630 HCWs completed the survey. Influenza epidemics, SARS-CoV-2 pandemics, and natural disasters were associated with the highest WTW rates (69.0%, 63.7%, and 53.3%, respectively). WTW rate was lowest in nuclear incident (4.6%) and dirty bomb (3.3%) scenarios. WTW rate was higher in physicians than in nurses. Male ED HCWs, single HCWs, and childless HCWs were more often willing to work. Personal protective equipment (PPE) and the safety of HCWs’ families were the most important working conditions. Perceived knowledge scored lowest in the dirty bomb, biological, and nuclear incident scenarios. These scenarios were rated highest with respect to perceived danger.

WTW depends on disaster type, profession, and department. The provision of PPE and the safety of HCWs’ families were found to be the predominant favorable working conditions.

This methodological study aimed to adapt the DLS, introduced for individuals aged 18-60 years, to those aged 60 years and older and to determine its psychometric properties.

We collected the data between December 15, 2021 and April 18, 2022. We carried out the study with a sample of 60 years and older living in the city center of Burdur, Turkey. The sample was selected using snowball sampling, a non-probability sampling technique. We collected the data using a questionnaire booklet covering an 11-item demographic information form and the DLS. We utilized reliability and validity analyses in the data analysis. The analyses were performed on SPSS 23.0, and a P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The mean age of the participants was found to be 68.29 (SD = 6.36). The 61-item measurement tool was reduced to 57 items by removing a total of 4 items from the scale. We also calculated Cronbach’s α values to be 0.936 for the mitigation/prevention subscale, 0.935 for the preparedness subscale, 0.939 for the response subscale, and 0.945 for the recovery/rehabilitation subscale.

As adapted in this study, the DLS-S can be validly and reliably used for individuals aged 60 years and older.

This study aimed to develop and validate the modified irritant gas syndrome agent (IGSA) criteria, utilizing readily available triage information and epidemiologic data to efficiently segregate patients based on the severity of hydrofluoric acid (HFA) exposure.

A retrospective analysis of 160 patients exposed to HFA was performed to develop the criteria and assess the criteria’s efficacy, focusing on age, respiratory rate, and compliance with IGSA standards. The criteria’s validity was assessed by comparing clinical outcomes between patients meeting the modified IGSA (mIGSA) criteria and those who did not as external and internal.

The mIGSA criteria (or AIR criteria) consisting of the 3 clusters of age greater than 49, IGSA criteria satisfied, and respiratory rate greater than 19 was developed. The area under curve of receiver operating characteristic curve for prediction of the risk of confirmed HFA injury according to AIR criteria was 0.8415 at the external validation.

The mIGSA criteria offer a significant improvement in the triage of HFA exposure incidents, facilitating rapid identification and prioritization of patients with potentially severe outcomes. Future research should aim to further validate these criteria across diverse emergency scenarios, reinforcing their utility in global health emergency preparedness.

Fires are among the most feared incidents that can occur in a hospital. Hospital fires will disrupt care continuity, may require the evacuation of patients and have the potential to result in injuries or even deaths. The aim of this study is to gain insight into hospital fires in the Netherlands over a 20-year period.

Systematic scoping review of news articles mentioning hospital fires in the Netherlands retrieved from the LexisNexis database, Google, Google News, PubMed, and EMBASE between 2000 and 2020. Hospital fires were included if they were associated with the closure of hospital departments or intervention units and/or evacuations. The cause, location, involved departments, need for evacuation, and the number of casualties were evaluated.

Twenty-four major hospital fires were identified. More than half of these were caused by technical failures, and in 6 cases (25%), the fires were attributed to patients. In 71% of the incidents, acute care departments were affected by the fire. Twenty fires (83%) resulted in the evacuation of patients. In 2 cases, the fire resulted in the death of a patient.

Patient-attributed fires are a significant cause of major hospital fires in the Netherlands. Prevention and mitigation measures should be implemented accordingly.

This study aimed to examine the effect of volunteers’ health behaviors and disaster preparedness on disaster attitudes.

The sample comprised 378 volunteers aged 18 to 30 who were affiliated with the largest volunteer network in a non-governmental organization in Turkey. In the study, data were collected with Descriptive Information Form, the Disaster Preparedness Scale, and the Disaster Attitude Scale.

The mean total score of the participants in the Disaster Attitude Scale was 3.06 ± 0.73 (1-5). The mean total scale score of the participants in the Disaster Preparedness Scale was 33.21 ± 8.02 (13-54). Notably, factors such as using alcohol, the status of general health checkups status, and scores on the physical protection and assistance subscales the Disaster Preparedness Scale were significantly associated with the Disaster Attitude Scale total score (P < 0.05).

In this study, regular general health check-ups, alcohol use in general, and physical protection and assistance sub-scales are critical determinants of volunteers’ attitudes toward disasters. The disaster volunteers, health professionals particularly nurses, should develop training programs to enhance volunteers’ disaster attitudes focusing on promoting disaster preparedness and positive health behaviors in both governmental and non-governmental organizations.

The objective of this study was to explore the burden of disasters and adverse health outcomes during and following disasters in Bangladesh.

We analyzed 6 788 947 respondents’ data from a cross-sectional and nationally representative 2021 Bangladesh Disaster-related Statistics (BDRS). The key explanatory variables were the types of disasters respondents faced, while the outcome variables were the disease burden during and following disasters. Descriptive statistics were used to determine disease burden. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model assessed the association between disease burden and disaster types, along with socio-demographic characteristics of respondents.

Nearly 50% of respondents experienced diseases during disasters, rising to 53.4% afterward. Fever, cough and diarrhea were prevalent during and after disasters, with increases in skin diseases, malnutrition, and asthma post-disaster. Vulnerable groups, such as children aged 0–4, hijra individuals, those with lower education, people with disabilities, and rural residents, especially in Chattogram, Rangpur, and Sylhet divisions, were most affected. Floods, cyclones, thunderstorms, and hailstorms significantly increased disease likelihood during and after disasters.

The study underscores the complex relationship between disasters and health outcomes in Bangladesh, stressing the need for targeted public health interventions, improved health care infrastructure, and evidence-based policies to mitigate disaster-related health risks.