van den Berg Bellis, Grievink Linda, Gutschmidt Kersten, Lang Thierry, Palmer Stephen, Ruijten Marc, Stumpel Rene, Yzermans Joris
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Environmental Health Research, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
Prehosp Disaster Med. 2008 Jul-Aug;23(4):s55-9. doi: 10.1017/s1049023x00021257.
A broad range of health problems are related to disasters. Insight into these health problems is needed for targeted disaster management. Disaster health outcome assessment can provide insight into the health effects of disasters. During the 15th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine in Amsterdam (2007), experts in the field of disaster epidemiology discussed important aspects of disaster health outcome assessment, such as: (1) what is meant by disaster health outcome assessment?; (2) why should one conduct a disaster health outcome assessment, and what are the objectives?, and (3) who benefits from the information obtained by a disaster health outcome assessment? A disaster health outcome assessment can be defined as a systematic assessment of the current and potential health problems in a population affected by a disaster. Different methods can be used to examine these health problems such as: (1) rapid assessment of health needs; (2) (longitudinal) epidemiological studies using questionnaires; (3) continuous surveillance of health problems using existing registration systems; (4) assessment of the use and distribution of health services; and (5) research into the etiology of the health effects of disasters. The public health impact of a disaster may not be immediately evident. Disaster health outcome assessment provides insight into the health related consequences of disasters. The information that is obtained by performing a disaster health outcome assessment can be used to initiate and adapt the provision of health care. Besides information for policymakers, disaster health outcome assessments can contribute to the knowledge and evidence base of disaster health outcomes (scientific objective). Finally, disaster health outcome assessment might serve as a signal of recognition of the problems of the survivors. Several stakeholders may benefit from the information obtained from a disaster health outcome assessment. Disaster decision-makers and the public health community benefit from performing a disaster health outcome assessment, since it provides information that is useful for the different aspects of disaster management. Also, by providing information about the nature, prevalence, and course of health problems, (mental) health care workers can anticipate the health needs and requirements in the affected population. It is important to realize that the disaster is not over when the acute care has been provided. Instead, disasters will cause many other health problems and concerns such as infectious diseases and mental health problems. Disaster health outcome assessments provide insight into the public health impact of disasters.
诸多健康问题与灾害相关。为了进行有针对性的灾害管理，需要深入了解这些健康问题。灾害健康结果评估能够提供有关灾害对健康影响的洞察。在2007年于阿姆斯特丹举行的第15届世界灾害与急诊医学大会上，灾害流行病学领域的专家们讨论了灾害健康结果评估的重要方面，例如：（1）灾害健康结果评估的含义是什么？（2）为何要进行灾害健康结果评估，目标是什么？以及（3）谁能从灾害健康结果评估所获得的信息中受益？灾害健康结果评估可被定义为对受灾害影响人群当前和潜在健康问题的系统评估。可使用不同方法来审视这些健康问题，比如：（1）快速评估健康需求；（2）使用问卷进行（纵向）流行病学研究；（3）利用现有登记系统持续监测健康问题；（4）评估卫生服务的使用和分配情况；以及（5）研究灾害对健康影响的病因。灾害对公共卫生的影响可能不会立即显现。灾害健康结果评估能洞察灾害与健康相关的后果。通过进行灾害健康结果评估所获得的信息可用于启动和调整医疗保健服务的提供。除了为政策制定者提供信息外，灾害健康结果评估有助于充实灾害健康结果的知识和证据基础（科学目标）。最后，灾害健康结果评估可能成为对幸存者问题予以认可的一种信号。若干利益相关者可能会从灾害健康结果评估所获得的信息中受益。灾害决策者和公共卫生界可从进行灾害健康结果评估中受益，因为它能提供对灾害管理不同方面有用的信息。此外，通过提供有关健康问题的性质、患病率和发展过程的信息，（心理）医护人员能够预测受影响人群的健康需求和要求。必须认识到，在提供了急性护理之后，灾害并未结束。相反地，灾害会引发许多其他健康问题和担忧，如传染病和心理健康问题。灾害健康结果评估能洞察灾害对公共卫生的影响。
