Assessing the Preparedness of Healthcare Facilities for Disasters and Emergencies in Damghan, Iran

Author(s):  
Behrad Pourmohammadi ◽  
Ahad Heydari ◽  
Farin Fatemi ◽  
Ali Modarresi

Abstract Objectives: Iran is exposed to a wide range of natural and man-made hazards. Health-care facilities can play a significant role in providing life-saving measures in the minutes and hours immediately following the impact or exposure. The aim of this study was to determine the preparedness of health-care facilities in disasters and emergencies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Damghan, Semnan Province, in 2019. The samples consisted of all the 11 health-care facilities located in Damghan County. A developed checklist was used to collect the data, including 272 questions in 4 sections: understanding threatening hazards, functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability of health-care facilities. The data were analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: The results revealed that the health-care facilities were exposed to 22 different natural and man-made hazards throughout the county. The total level of preparedness of the health-care centers under assessment was 45.8%. The average functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability was assessed at 49.3%, 31.6%, and 56.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Conducting mitigation measures is necessary for promoting the functional and structural preparedness. Disaster educational programs and exercises are recommended among the health staff in health-care facilities.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Behrad Pourmohammadi ◽  
Ahad Heydari ◽  
Farin Fatemi ◽  
Ali Modarresi

Abstract Background: Iran is exposed to a wide variety of natural and man-made hazards. Health care facilities can play a significant role in providing lifesaving measures in the minutes and hours immediately following impact or exposure. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors threatening the preparedness of health care facilities in disasters and emergencies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Damghan, Semnan province in 2019. The samples consist of all the eleven health care facilities which are located in Damghan County. A developed checklist including 272 questions in four sections; understanding threatening hazards, functional, structural and non-structural vulnerability of health care facilities was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using STATA 11 software. The risk factors were determined and prioritized based on mean and total vulnerability score. Results: The results showed that the health care facilities were exposed to 22 different natural and man-made hazards throughout the county. The overall preparedness of the health care centers was 45%. The average functional, structural, and nonstructural vulnerability was assessed at 40.58%, 45.12%, and 50%, respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed an average preparedness of the health care facilities in the studied area. Conducting the mitigation measures is necessary for reducing the structural and non-structural vulnerability. Disaster educational programs and exercises are recommended among the health staff in order to increase the functional capacity and enhance the preparedness in the HCFs at time of emergencies and disasters.


2017 ◽  
pp. 69-74
Author(s):  
Van Hung Nguyen ◽  
Van Thang Vo

Background: Accident injuries caused has been serious heatlth problem in developing coutries. Children is vulnerable group with accident injury beucase of lacking knowlegde and exposing with risk factors in eviromental household. The treatment outcome for accident injury of children usually has more serious than other groups. The aims of this study to describle some characteristics of first aid and the outcome of treatment for children accident in Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak provice in 2014. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted total 2,273 household which was 4,505 children aged under 16 in 8 communes, Buon Ma Thuot city, Daklak province. Interview technique with structural questionnaire and household observation methods were used for data collection. Results: The propotion of first aid was 75.9%; not received any first aid (23.8%); mortality at accident place (0.3%). At the time accident: The highest personal involving first aid was pedestrians 54.1%; 25% of health staff, self- first aid was 14.5%. Two main of first aid methods were hemostasis and bandeged with 45.5%; 28% respectiviely. After first aid, there was 80% delivering to health care facilities. The transport methods were motocycle (91.8%), car (5.6%) and ambulance (0.4%). The rate of approach health care facilities around early 6 hours were 86.7%. The characteristics of damages: sub-damages (scratches, dislocations, sprains...) were 36.9 %, deep damages (fractures, open wounds) accounted for 44.6%. Inpatient treatment was 23.9%; 91.5% medical therapy, surgery of 8.2%. The outcome of treatment were good (97.2%), sequelae/disability 2.6%. Conclusion: First aid activities for children at time and properly right were demonstrated effectively for prevented seriously outcome. There should be an intervention program for children with the appropriate models to reduce accident injuries in children; improvement first aid to communities and health care worker. Key words: accident injury, first aid, capacity first care, children under 16 years old


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (02) ◽  
pp. 153-158
Author(s):  
Fatima Mukhtar ◽  
Abuzar Aziz ◽  
Shayan Rashid Khawaja ◽  
Akasha Amjad ◽  
Alina Haider

A universal challenge faced by developing countries these days is the inequitabledistribution of health professionals, which compromises the capacity of the health system todeliver efficient and effective health care. Availability of reliable data on medical graduatesis important for health planning and development of policies and plans dealing with healthworkforce labour market. Objectives: To determine the proportion of medical graduates whoremained affiliated with the profession three to six years after graduation from a private medicalschool, To find out the specialty selection and practice location of these graduates, and todetermine the association between their gender and affiliation with the profession. Methods:A cross-sectional study was undertaken at the Lahore Medical & Dental College from March toMay 2014 selecting graduates through convenience sampling. The graduates were contactedthrough e-mail, Facebook and telephone. After obtaining voluntary informed consent fromthe respondents, a pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect information.Thedata was recorded and analysed using the statistical package for social sciences version 16.0.Chi-square test is used to test statistical significance between respondent’s gender and theiraffiliation with the medical profession at p < 0.05. Results: A large proportion 98(88%) ofmedical graduates remained affiliated with the profession. Those who didn’t pursue it were allfemales (p < 0.05). Majority 86(88%) were located in Pakistan. A greater proportion worked inthe tertiary health care facilities 65(94%). The popular specialty being pursued was medicine24(24%). Conclusion: Female medical graduates should be provided opportunities for parttime work.Medical schools should provide early and prolonged exposure of students to primaryhealth care facilities, in order to increase their uptake of rural postings.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1428-1438
Author(s):  
Abdul Rahman Jazieh ◽  
Hakan Akbulut ◽  
Giuseppe Curigliano ◽  
Alvaro Rogado ◽  
Abdullah Ali Alsharm ◽  
...  

PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic affected health care systems globally and resulted in the interruption of usual care in many health care facilities, exposing vulnerable patients with cancer to significant risks. Our study aimed to evaluate the impact of this pandemic on cancer care worldwide. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study using a validated web-based questionnaire of 51 items. The questionnaire obtained information on the capacity and services offered at these centers, magnitude of disruption of care, reasons for disruption, challenges faced, interventions implemented, and the estimation of patient harm during the pandemic. RESULTS A total of 356 centers from 54 countries across six continents participated between April 21 and May 8, 2020. These centers serve 716,979 new patients with cancer a year. Most of them (88.2%) reported facing challenges in delivering care during the pandemic. Although 55.34% reduced services as part of a preemptive strategy, other common reasons included an overwhelmed system (19.94%), lack of personal protective equipment (19.10%), staff shortage (17.98%), and restricted access to medications (9.83%). Missing at least one cycle of therapy by > 10% of patients was reported in 46.31% of the centers. Participants reported patient exposure to harm from interruption of cancer-specific care (36.52%) and noncancer-related care (39.04%), with some centers estimating that up to 80% of their patients were exposed to harm. CONCLUSION The detrimental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care is widespread, with varying magnitude among centers worldwide. Additional research to assess this impact at the patient level is required.


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