BMC Public Health

BackgroundThe disasters at Seveso, Three Mile Island, Bhopal, Chernobyl, the World Trade Center (WTC) and Fukushima had historic health and economic sequelae for large populations of workers, responders and community members.MethodsComparative data from these events were collected to derive indications for future preparedness. Information from the primary sources and a literature review addressed: i) exposure assessment; ii) exposed populations; iii) health surveillance; iv) follow-up and research outputs; v) observed physical and mental health effects; vi) treatment and benefits; and vii) outreach activities.ResultsExposure assessment was conducted in Seveso, Chernobyl and Fukushima, although none benefited from a timely or systematic strategy, yielding immediate and sequential measurements after the disaster. Identification of exposed subjects was overall underestimated. Health surveillance, treatment and follow-up research were implemented in Seveso, Chernobyl, Fukushima, and at the WTC, mostly focusing on the workers and responders, and to a lesser extent on residents. Exposure-related physical and mental health consequences were identified, indicating the need for a long-term health care of the affected populations. Fukushima has generated the largest scientific output so far, followed by the WTCHP and Chernobyl. Benefits programs and active outreach figured prominently in only the WTC Health Program. The analysis of these programs yielded the following lessons: 1) Know who was there; 2) Have public health input to the disaster response; 3) Collect health and needs data rapidly; 4) Take care of the affected; 5) Emergency preparedness; 6) Data driven, needs assessment, advocacy.ConclusionsGiven the long-lasting health consequences of natural and man-made disasters, health surveillance and treatment programs are critical for management of health conditions, and emergency preparedness plans are needed to prevent or minimize the impact of future threats.2017-01-07T00:00:00Z28061835PMC521980

Background Examples of Literature Searches on Topics of Interest

A zip file of various literature searches & some resources related to our work related to exposure after the Chernobyl accident and as we began looking at helping in Semey Kazakhstan----a collection of literature reviews on various topics we were interested in... eg. establishing a registry of those exposed for longterm follow-up, what we knew about certain areas like genetics and some resources like A Guide to Environmental Resources on the Internet by Carol Briggs-Erickson and Toni Murphy which could be found on the Internet and was written to be used by researchers, environmentalists, teachers and any person who is interested in knowing and doing something about the health of our planet. See more at https://archives.library.tmc.edu/dm-ms211-012-0060

ITF Enhancing Human Security Annual Report 2015

The mission of ITF is to enhance safety as well as to enable the recovery and development of conflict affected countries by addressing the immediate and long-term impact of mine/ERW and other hazards following armed violence. A human security approach is applied to all of ITF’s interventions as it provides a dynamic and practical policy framework for addressing widespread and crosscutting threats. This human security approach supports the linkages between humanitarian mine action and surplus arms reduction, as well as the nexus between security and development. It also upholds the development of essential preconditions, capabilities and capacities that pave the way to comprehensive development, and facilitate full national ownership and accountability in conflict affected countries

Patterns of somatic distress among internally displaced persons in Ukraine: analysis of a cross-sectional survey.

PURPOSE: There are often high rates of mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries during humanitarian crises, but the prevalence of somatic distress (SD) is underreported in the existing health service research. We aim to examine the patterns of SD among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine, who were forcibly displaced due to the ongoing conflict in the country's eastern region. METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional survey of 2203 adult IDPs throughout Ukraine. The survey collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, traumatic life events (Life Events Checklist), utilisation of mental health care services, and self-reported outcomes of SD (Patient Health Questionnaire 15), anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9), and post-traumatic stress (PTSD Checklist). Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used. RESULTS: Over half of respondents (n = 1142, 55%) were identified as being at risk of SD (PHQ-15 score ≥ 6), and the prevalence of moderate (n = 377, 18%) and high severity SD risk (n = 275, 13%) was substantial. There were significant associations (p < 0.05) between SD and age, female gender, economic status, self-reported depression and post-traumatic stress, and multiple trauma exposures. Being at risk of SD was also significantly associated with increased functional disability. Use of mental health care services was low across this population and only high SD risk seemed to be a reliable predictor of care-seeking behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant risk of SD among IDPs in Ukraine. Our results illustrate the need for targeted health service research and regional programs to ensure that mental health needs are appropriately met

Revival of the Dead Zone- Ecotourism within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone

Since the nuclear accident, Chernobyl has been abandoned for 30 years. 30 kilometers around Chernobyl was evacuated and it has left the area to become a dead zone. In actuality the dead zone is full of life. Plant and animal populations have expanded and thrived, and people have slowly started to reenter the zone. The exclusion zone has become a new ecosystem. With more people coming into Chernobyl for tourism, there is higher risk of the ecosystem being threatened. My thesis will explore ecotourism within the Chernobyl exclusion zone. My proposal is an urban design that is shaped by ecotourist principles that will protect people from harmful radiation, that will not harm or disrupt the natural environment, and that will educate the visitors on the dangers of nuclear power. The project has two phases. The first phase was the literature review and precedent analysis. The research included examining the impact of radiation on the environment, ecology, and human health. As a result, different types of decontamination systems were researched. Studies of the phenomenology of space provided insight on how to preserve Chernobyl’s unique experience, and precedent analysis explored ways to implement ecotourism to the design. The second phase of the project will be the design of the ecotourist infrastructure that will use the results from the literature review. This will include analyzing the site to determine the layout of the urban pathways and exhibition structures. Decontamination systems will determine the building’s façade and structure, and the studies of phenomenology will inform the tools and spatial components for enhancing experience. The design will also implement ecotourist principles to protect the natural environment. As a result of ecotourism, the design will provide economic power to help support the conservation of the environment and the local community of Chernobyl