Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T06:06:08.556Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Characterizing Hospital Admissions to a Tertiary Care Hospital After Typhoon Haiyan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2016

Mary P. Chang ,
Daren J. Simkin ,
Maria Lourdes de Lara  and
Thomas D. Kirsch
Mary P. Chang*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Daren J. Simkin
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Maria Lourdes de Lara
Affiliation:
Ormoc District Hospital, Leyte, Philippines
Thomas D. Kirsch
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Center for Refugee and Disaster Response, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Mary Chang, MD, MPH, 1830 East Monument Street, Suite 6-100, Baltimore, MD 21287 (e-mail address: [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) made landfall in the Philippines. The literature characterizing the medical, surgical, and obstetrics burden following typhoons is lacking. This study aimed to improve disaster preparedness by analyzing medical diagnoses presenting to a city district hospital before, during, and after Typhoon Haiyan.

Methods

The assessment of disease burden and trends was based on logbooks from a local hospital and a nongovernmental organization field hospital for the medicine, surgical, and obstetrics wards before, during, and after the typhoon.

Results

The hospital provided no services several days after typhoon impact, but there was an overall increase in patient admissions once the hospital reopened. An increase in gastroenteritis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and motor vehicle collision-related injuries was seen during the impact phase. A dengue fever outbreak occurred during the post-impact phase. There was a noticeable shift in a greater percentage of emergent surgical cases performed versus elective cases during the impact and post-impact phases.

Conclusion

Overall, several public health measures can prevent the increase in illnesses seen after a disaster. To prepare for the nonfatal burden of disease after a typhoon, health care facilities should increase their resources to accommodate the surge in patient volume. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:240–247)

Keywords

Haiyantyphoondisaster preparednessPhilippines
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , April 2016 , pp. 240 - 247
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Doocy, S, Dick, A, Daniels, A, et al. The human impact of tropical cyclones: a historical review of events 1980-2009 and systematic literature review. PLoS Currents. 2013;5: ecurrents.dis.2664354a5571512063ed29d25ffbce74. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/currents.dis.2664354a5571512063ed29d25ffbce74.Google Scholar
2. Ryan, BJ, Franklin, RC, Burkle, FM, et al. Analyzing the impact of severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi on public health infrastructure and the management of noncommunicable diseases. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(1):28-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X1400137X.Google Scholar
3. NDRRMC. Updates re Effects of Typhoon YOLANDA (HAIYAN). National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Quezon City, Philippines. http://www.ndrrmc.gov.ph/attachments/article/1329/Update_on_Effects_Typhoon_YOLANDA_(Haiyan)_17APR2014.pdf. Published April 17, 2014. Accessed April 21, 2015.Google Scholar
4. Philippine Statistics Authority, National Statistics Office. 2010 Census of Population and Housing: Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010. https://psa.gov.ph/. Accessed February 12, 2015.Google Scholar
5. Dew, A. Op Patwin Part 2: HMS Illustrious’ medical response to typhoon Haiyan. J R Nav Med Serv . 2014;100(2):205-209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Yamada, S, Galat, A. Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan and climate justice. Disaster Med Public Health Prep . 2014;8(5):432-435. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2014.97.Google Scholar
7. World Health Organization. WHO’s Six-Year Strategic Plan to Minimize the Health Impact of Emergencies and Disasters: 2014-2019. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2015 (document reference WHO/PEC/ERM/ERX/2015.6/STR).Google Scholar
8. Chung, KC, Stock, TH, Smith, LA, et al. Post-Hurricane Katrina passive sampling of ambient volatile organic compounds in the greater New Orleans area. Environ Res. 2009;109(8):943-951. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2009.08.006.Google Scholar
9. Cummings, KJ, Cox-Ganser, J, Riggs, MA, et al. Health effects of exposure to water-damaged New Orleans homes six months after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Am J Public Health. 2008;98(5):869-875. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2007.118398.Google Scholar
10. Barbeau, DN, Grimsley, LF, White, LE, et al. Mold exposure and health effects following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Annu Rev Public Health . 2010;31(1):165-178. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.012809.103643.Google Scholar
11. Ventura, RJ, Muhi, E, de Los Reyes, VC, et al. A community-based gastroenteritis outbreak after Typhoon Haiyan, Leyte, Philippines, 2013. Western Pac Surveill Response J . 2015;6(1):1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2014.5.1.010.Google Scholar
12. Ling, F, Ye, Z, Cai, W, et al. Medical emergency rescue in disaster: the international emergency response to the Haiyan typhoon in Philippines. Biosci Trends. 2014;8(6):350-353. http://dx.doi.org/10.5582/bst.2014.01119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. World Health Organization. Public Health Risk Assessment and Interventions: Typhoon Haiyan Philippines. 2nd ed. http://www.wpro.who.int/philippines/typhoon_haiyan/media/philippines_typhoon_haiyan_ph_risk_assessment_december2013.pdf. Published December 16, 2013. Accessed December 10, 2015.Google Scholar
14. World Health Organization. Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) One Year On: Fact Sheet communicable diseases. http://www.wpro.who.int/philippines/mediacentre/features/yolandafactsheetcommd.pdf. Accessed June 12, 2015.Google Scholar
15. Watson, JT, Gayer, M, Connolly, MA. Epidemics after natural disasters. Emerg Infect Dis. 2007;13(1):1-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1301.060779.Google Scholar
16. Martinez Garcia, D, Brown, AL. Restoring health after Typhoon Haiyan. Med J Aust. 2014;200(9):512. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja14.00143.Google Scholar
17. Centers for Disease Control. Surveillance for injuries and illnesses and rapid health-needs assessment following Hurricanes Marilyn and Opal, September-October, 1995. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1996;45(4):81-85.Google Scholar
18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance for illness and injury after Hurricane Katrina--three counties, Mississippi, September 5-October 11, 2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55(9):231-234.Google Scholar
19. Mahajani, AG. Darwin and cyclone Tracy. Christmas 1974. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1975;57(5):274-275.Google Scholar
20. Centers for Disease Control. Epidemiologic notes and reports hurricanes and hospital emergency-room visits -- Mississippi, Rhode Island, Connecticut. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1986;34(51-52):765-770.Google Scholar
21. Brewer, RD, Morris, PD, Cole, TB. Hurricane-related emergency department visits in an inland area: an area of the public health impact of Hurricane Hugo in North Carolina. Ann Emerg Med. 1994;23(4):731-736. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0196-0644(94)70307-8.Google Scholar
22. McNabb, SJ, Kelso, KY, Wilson, SA, et al. Hurricane Andrew-related injuries and illnesses, Louisiana, 1992. South Med J. 1995;88(6):615-618. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00007611-199506000-00003.Google Scholar
23. Shen, J, Feng, Z, Zeng, G, Zhu, B-P. Risk factors for injury during typhoon Saomei. Epidemiology. 2009;20(6):892-895. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181bb552f.Google Scholar
24. Longmire, AW, Ten Eyck, RP. Morbidity of Hurricane Frederic. Ann Emerg Med. 1984;13(5):334-338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0196-0644(84)80115-8.Google Scholar
25. Butterworth, SJ. Operation PATWIN: HMS DARING’s experience of providing humanitarian disaster relief following super-Typhoon Haiyan. J R Nav Med Serv. 2014;100(1):81-87.Google Scholar
26. Albukrek, D, Mendlovic, J, Marom, T. Typhoon Haiyan disaster in the Philippines: paediatric field hospital perspectives. Emerg Med J. 2014;31(12):951-953. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2014-203777.Google Scholar