The article “Earth Perturbations and Public Health” discusses natural disasters such as earthquakes, tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and land subsidence and how they can cause both short and long term health problems. During natural disasters, hospital and other medical facilities can be destroyed, along with food and water supplies (Earth Perturbations). On serious public health problem that this article hardly addresses is the issue of mental health and post traumatic stress after natural disasters. Among victims of earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes, there are dramatic increases in suicide rates in the years following these natural disasters (Krug, Kresnow, et al. 1999).
The clearest indication of the effects natural disasters have on the health of a population is the direct mortality from trauma. In eastern Pakistan in 1970, coastal inundation caused the death of 761,000 people, and Tangshan, China, in 1976, an earthquake caused the death of 557,900 people. More recently, the Sumatran tsunami in 2004 caused the death of at least 285,00 people. Post disaster health issues include indirect mortality and sickness from infectious diseases, and mental health problems such as post traumatic stress and suicide (Earth Perturbations) and (Krug, Kresnow, et al. 1999).
Although natural disasters do not discriminate, it is the poorest countries that are most vulnerable to short and long term health effects. Approximately 66% of the world’s population that live in the poorest areas account for 95% of deaths from natural disasters (Earth Perturbations). This is likely due to the fact the poorest countries lack infrastructure that is resistant to natural disasters, and thus it is more likely that buildings and roads will destroyed during a disaster. Also, the poorest countries already lack adequate health care services, and during a disaster, they must rely on international aid for guidance and stability. Reasons one may commit suicide in the days, months, and years following a natural disaster include, the loss of family, friends, property, jobs, and post traumatic stress. In impoverished areas, these issues are exasperated and pose an even greater problem (Krug, Kresnow, et al. 1999).
It is interesting however, that different natural disasters can greatly vary the effect on ones mental state. Suicide rates increase for about 4 years after flooding, two years after hurricanes, and only one year after floods. After flooding, suicide rates increase 13.8 percent, and 18.9 percent after hurricanes (Krug, Kresnow, et al. 1999). A possible reason that increased suicide rates remain high for the longest period of time after flooding may be because floods occur more often than other natural disasters, even if that are not considered a federal disaster, and victims of floods report three times as much financial loss and four times as many injuries. Also, flood victims are more likely to take out loans, giving temporary relief, but adding stress over the long run. Water also carries many disease, which makes makes flooded regions even more vulnerable to disease outbreaks (Krug, Kresnow, et al. 1999) and (Earth Perturbations).
The use of technology in preventing indirect deaths after a natural disaster is crucial. Geographic Information System can be used to plot disease outbreaks and the likely rate and direction the disease will spread. This can give epidemiologists the upper hand, and allow them to more effectively stop the spread of disease, thus saving thousands of human lives. Also, GIS can be used to map areas and help officials determine which type of naturals disaster a certain area might be prone to (Earth Perturbations). Strong infrastructure is also important in reducing the severity of natural disasters. And although it is often overlooked, mental health support is necessary after severe disasters. This could come in the form of social support, or financial aid, and because flooding causes the largest impact on mental health, the building of flood walls, and reforestation, can help reduce the intensity of flood based mental health issues, along with the obvious effects of direct mortality from trauma (Krug, Kresnow, et al. 1999).
Krug, E. G., Kresnow, M., Peddicord, J., Dahlberg, L. L., & Powell, K. E. (1999). Suicide after natural disasters. The New England Journal of Medicine, 338(6), 373-378. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM199802053380607
(n.d.). Earth perturbations and public health impacts. National Academy of Sciences, 99-111.
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