Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T13:15:48.443Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Using Poison Center Data for Postdisaster Surveillance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 September 2014

Amy Wolkin ,
Amy H. Schnall ,
Royal Law  and
Joshua Schier
Amy Wolkin*
Affiliation:
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaUSA
Amy H. Schnall
Affiliation:
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaUSA
Royal Law
Affiliation:
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaUSA
Joshua Schier
Affiliation:
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GeorgiaUSA
*
Correspondence: Amy Wolkin, DrPH, MSPH Disaster Epidemiology and Response Team Lead National Center for Environmental Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4770 Buford Hwy, MS F-57 Atlanta, Georgia 30341 USA E-mail [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The role of public health surveillance in disaster response continues to expand as timely, accurate information is needed to mitigate the impact of disasters. Health surveillance after a disaster involves the rapid assessment of the distribution and determinants of disaster-related deaths, illnesses, and injuries in the affected population. Public health disaster surveillance is one mechanism that can provide information to identify health problems faced by the affected population, establish priorities for decision makers, and target interventions to meet specific needs. Public health surveillance traditionally relies on a wide variety of data sources and methods. Poison center (PC) data can serve as data sources of chemical exposures and poisonings during a disaster. In the US, a system of 57 regional PCs serves the entire population. Poison centers respond to poison-related questions from the public, health care professionals, and public health agencies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses PC data during disasters for surveillance of disaster-related toxic exposures and associated illnesses to enhance situational awareness during disaster response and recovery. Poison center data can also be leveraged during a disaster by local and state public health to supplement existing surveillance systems. Augmenting traditional surveillance data (ie, emergency room visits and death records) with other data sources, such as PCs, allows for better characterization of disaster-related morbidity and mortality. Poison center data can be used during a disaster to detect outbreaks, monitor trends, track particular exposures, and characterize the epidemiology of the event. This timely and accurate information can be used to inform public health decision making during a disaster and mitigate future disaster-related morbidity and mortality.

WolkinA, SchnallAH, LawR, SchierJ. Using Poison Center Data for Postdisaster Surveillance. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(5):1-4.

Keywords

disastersEmergency Medical Servicespopulation surveillance
Type
Special Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 29 , Issue 5 , October 2014 , pp. 521 - 524
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2014 

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.Federal Emergency Management Agency. Disaster Declarations By Year. 2013. http://www.fema.gov/disasters/grid/year. Accessed December 19, 2013.Google Scholar
2.Thacker, SB, Berkelman, RL. Public health surveillance in the United States. Epi Rev. 1988;10(1):164-190.Google Scholar
3.Noji, EK. The Public Health Consequences of Disasters. New York, New York USA: Oxford University Press; 1996.Google Scholar
4.Smith, PF, Hadler, JL, Stanbury, M, et al. Blueprint Version 2.0: updating public health surveillance for the 21st century. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2013;19(3):231-239.Google Scholar
5.Thacker, SB, Qualters, JR, Lee, LM. Public health surveillance in the United States: evolution and challenges. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61(3):3-9.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Bronstein, AC, Spyker, DA, Cantilena, LR, et al. 2011 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS): 29th Annual Report. Clinical Toxicol. 2012;50(10):911-1164.Google Scholar
7.Wolkin, AF, Martin, CA, Law, RK, et al. Using poison center data for national public health surveillance for chemical and poison exposure and associated illness. Ann Emerg Med. 2012;59(1):56-61.Google Scholar
8.Law, RK, Schier, JG, Martin, CA, et al. National surveillance for radiological exposures and intentional potassium iodide and iodine product ingestions in the United States associated with the 2011 Japan radiological incident. Clinical Toxicol. 2013;51(1):41-46.Google Scholar
9.Law, R, Martin, C, Wolkin, A, et al. Use of the National Poison Data System for surveillance of human health effects from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Emerg Health Threats J. 2011;4(s37):27.Google Scholar
10.Bronstein, AC, Spyker, DA, Cantilena, LR, et al. 2010 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS): 28th Annual Report. Clinical Toxicol. 2011;49(10):910-941.Google Scholar
11.Lutterloh, EC, Iqbal, S, Clower, JH, et al. Carbon monoxide poisoning after an ice storm in Kentucky, 2009. Public Health Reports. 2011;126(s1):108.Google Scholar
12.Iqbal, S, Clower, JH, Hernandez, SA, Damon, SA, Yip, FY. A review of disaster-related carbon monoxide poisoning: surveillance, epidemiology, and opportunities for prevention. AJPH. 2012;102(10):1957-1963.Google Scholar
13.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carbon monoxide poisonings after two major hurricanes --- Alabama and Texas, August--October 2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55(9):236-239.Google Scholar
14.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carbon monoxide poisoning after Hurricane Katrina --- Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, August--September 2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2005;54(39):996-998.Google Scholar
15.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carbon monoxide poisoning from hurricane-associated use of portable generators --- Florida, 2004. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2005;54(28):697-700.Google Scholar
16.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notes from the field: carbon monoxide exposures reported to poison centers and related to Hurricane Sandy-- Northeastern United States, 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61(44):905.Google Scholar
17.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths associated with Hurricane Sandy--October-November 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013;62(20):393-397.Google Scholar
18.US House of Representatives. A Failure of Initiative: Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. http://orise.orau.gov/csepp/documents/planning/evacuation-documents/federal-reports/mainreport.pdf. Published 2006. Accessed October 2013.Google Scholar
19.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC's vision for public health surveillance in the 21st century. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61(s1):1-40.Google Scholar
20.Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. Use of Poison Center Data Assessment Report 2012. http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.cste.org/resource/resmgr/EnvironmentalHealth/PoisonAssessmentreport2012.pdf. Published 2013. Accessed December 2013.Google Scholar