Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of Baluchistan, Quetta, Pakistan.
Department of Zoology, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, Quetta, Pakistan.
Front Public Health. 2022 Jun 27;10:912762. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.912762. eCollection 2022.
Besides catastrophes, infrastructural damages, and psychosocial distress, terrorism also imposes an unexpected burden on healthcare services. Considerably, adequately-prepared and responsive healthcare professionals affirms effective management of terrorism-related incidences. Accordingly, the present study aimed to evaluate physicians' preparedness and response toward terrorism-related disaster events in Quetta city, Pakistan.
A qualitative design was adopted. Physicians practicing at the Trauma Center of Sandeman Provincial Hospital (SPH), Quetta, were approached for the study. We conducted in-depth interviews; all interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for thematic contents by a standard content analysis framework.
Fifteen physicians were interviewed. The saturation was achieved at the 13th interview however we conducted another two to validate the saturation. The thematic content analysis revealed five themes and 11 subthemes. All physicians have experienced, responded to, and managed terrorism-related disaster events. They were prepared professionally and psychologically in dealing with a terrorism-related disaster. Physicians identified lack of disaster-related curricula and training, absence of a standardized protocol, recurrence of the disaster, and hostile behavior of victim's attendants during an emergency as critical barriers to effective terrorism-related disaster management. Among limitations, all respondents mentioned workspace, and resources as a foremost constraint while managing a terrorism-related disaster event.
Although physicians understood the abilities and had the required competencies to mitigate a terrorism-related disaster, lack of workspace and resources were identified as a potential barrier to effective disaster management. Based on the results, we propose reconsideration and integration of the medical curriculum, particularly for terrorism-related disaster management, collaboration, and communication among various stakeholders to manage terrorism-related disaster events competently.
除了灾难、基础设施损坏和心理社会困扰外，恐怖主义也给医疗服务带来了意想不到的负担。相当多的是，有充分准备和反应能力的医疗保健专业人员可以确保对与恐怖主义有关的事件进行有效管理。因此，本研究旨在评估巴基斯坦奎达市的医生对与恐怖主义有关的灾害事件的准备情况和应对情况。
采用定性设计。研究人员联系了在桑德曼省级医院（SPH）创伤中心工作的医生。我们进行了深入的访谈；所有访谈都进行了录音，逐字转录，并通过标准的内容分析框架进行主题内容分析。
共访谈了 15 名医生。在第 13 次访谈时达到了饱和，但我们又进行了另外两次访谈以验证饱和情况。主题内容分析揭示了五个主题和 11 个子主题。所有医生都经历过、应对过和管理过与恐怖主义有关的灾害事件。他们在处理与恐怖主义有关的灾害方面具有专业和心理上的准备。医生们确定缺乏与灾害有关的课程和培训、缺乏标准化的协议、灾害的复发以及在紧急情况下受害者家属的敌对行为是有效管理与恐怖主义有关的灾害的关键障碍。在限制方面，所有受访者都提到工作空间和资源是管理与恐怖主义有关的灾害事件的首要制约因素。
尽管医生了解自己的能力并具备减轻与恐怖主义有关的灾害所需的能力，但工作空间和资源的缺乏被认为是有效灾害管理的潜在障碍。根据研究结果，我们建议重新考虑和整合医学课程，特别是与恐怖主义有关的灾害管理课程，以及各利益攸关方之间的合作和沟通，以有效地管理与恐怖主义有关的灾害事件。
