The Public Health Consequences of Disasters

Illustrated with examples from recent research in the field, this book summarizes the most pertinent and useful information about the public health impact of natural and man-made disasters. It is divided into four sections dealing with general concerns, geophysical events, weather-related problems, and human-generated disasters. The author starts with a comprehensive discussion of the concepts and role of surveillance and epidemiology, highlighting general environmental health health concerns, such as sanitation, water, shelter, and sewage. The other chapters, based on a variety of experiences and literature drawn from both developing and industrialized countries, cover discrete types of natural and technological hazards, addressing their history, origin, nature, observation, and control.
Throughout the book the focus is on the level of epidemiologic knowledge on each aspect of natural and man-made disasters. Exposure-, disease-, and health-event surveillance are stressed because of the importance of objective data to disaster epidemiology. In addition, Noji pays particular attention to prevention and control measures, and provides practical recommendations in areas in which the public health practitioner needs more useful information. He advocates stronger epidemiologic awareness as the basis for better understanding and control of disasters. A comprehensive theoretical and practical treatment of the subject, The Public Health Consequences of Disasters is an invaluable tool for epidemiologists, disaster relief specialists, and physicians who treat disaster victims.

Eric K. Noji, M.D., M.P.H., is Chief of the International Emergency and Refugee Health Unit at the Centers for Disease Control's International Health Program Office. He also serves as Director of the Center for Disease Control's World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response.

- Part I: General Issues
- 1: Eric K. Noji: The Nature of Disaster
- 2: Eric K. Noji: The Use of Epidemiologic Methods in Disasters
- 3: Scott Wetterhall and Eric K. Noji: Surveillance and Epidemiology
- 4: Scott R, Lillibridge: Managing the Environmental Health Aspects of Disasters: Water, Human Excreta, and Shelter
- 5: Michael J. Toole: Communicable Diseases and Disease Control After Disasters
- 6: Ellen Gerrity and Brian W. Flynn: Mental Health Consequences of Disasters
- 7: R. Elliott Churchill: Effective Media Relations
- Part II: Geophysical Events
- 8: Eric K. Noji: Earthquakes
- 9: Petr Baxter: Volcanoes
- Part III: Weather-Related Problems
- 10: Josephine Malilay: Tropical Cyclones
- 11: Scott R. Lillibridge: Tornadoes
- 12: Edwin Kilbourne: Heat Waves and Hot Environments
- 13: Edwin Kilbourne: Cold Environments
- 14: Josephine Malilay: Floods
- Part IV: Human-Generated Problems
- 15: Ray Yip Etzel and Jean G. French: Famine
- 16: Ruth Etzel and Jean G. French: Air Pollution
- 17: Scott R. Lillibridge: Industrial Diasters
- 18: Lee M. Sanderson: Fires
- 19: Robert Whitcomb and Michael Sage: Nuclear-Reactor Incidents
- 20: Michael J. Toole: Complex Emergencies