Estimating the impact of earthquake exposure on stress related health; preliminary results from Christchurch, New Zealand.

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BackgroundSept 4th 2010 saw the start of a series of destructive earthquakes around the city of Christchurch, New Zealand (pop 350,000). These left the region with widespread damage to the city and its infrastructure including: major liquefaction (the process by the ground turns to liquid); 70% of the central city needs to be rebuilt; 20,000 homes need to be pulled down: and 100,000 homes need repairing. The aftershocks are ongoing with over 13,000. It is hypothesised that all this will have an ongoing impact on those living in and around the city. AimsThe aims of this study were to identify whether adverse stress-related health outcomes were greater among people who have experienced greater physical damage to their communities than those who have experienced less damage, but who also live in the region. MethodsExposure to earthquake damage through amount & extent of liquefaction and land 'colour' (land is colour coded according whether it can used in the future) was estimated.Emergency department data was collated for chest pain and anxiety for a period of 6 months before and 18 months after the start of the earthquakes.Exposure was related to health.ResultsFor the period from May 1st 2010 to 30th April 2012 there were 9,807 chest pain and 524 anxiety hospital attendances.Those people living in areas of greater earthquake related damage and those living closer to more damaged areas had greater levels of stress related ill health. ConclusionsThere is preliminary evidence that those living in and nearer to areas of greater earthquake impact have greater levels of stress related ill-health.Further research will develop more indicators of earthquake impact such as: extent of home damage; infrastructure service closures and restriction, community disruption e.g. school & shop closure; extent of home damage; and magnitude of shaking. In addition population mobility will be included in future analysis.