Investigating Lushan Earthquake Victims' Individual Behavior Response and Rescue Organization.

Peng Kang,Yi Zhang,Yipeng Lv,Lulu Zhang,Qiangyu Deng,Xu Liu,Yuan Liu

doi:10.3390/ijerph14121556

Abstract

Research concerning the impact of earthquake victims’ individual behavior and its association with earthquake-related injuries is lacking. This study examined this relationship along with effectiveness of earthquake rescue measures. The six most severely destroyed townships during the Lushan earthquake were examined; 28 villages and three earthquake victims’ settlement camp areas were selected as research areas. Inclusion criteria comprised living in Lushan county for a longtime, living in Lushan county during the 2013 Lushan earthquake, and having one’s home destroyed. Earthquake victims with an intellectual disability or communication problems were excluded. The earthquake victims (N (number) = 5165, male = 2396) completed a questionnaire (response rate: 94.7%). Among them, 209 were injured (5.61%). Teachers (p < 0.0001, OR (odds ratios) = 3.33) and medical staff (p = 0.001, OR = 4.35) were more vulnerable to the earthquake than were farmers. Individual behavior was directly related to injuries, such as the first reaction after earthquake and fear. There is an obvious connection between earthquake-related injury and individual behavior characteristics. It is strongly suggested that victims receive mental health support from medical practitioners and the government to minimize negative effects. The initial reaction after an earthquake also played a vital role in victims’ trauma; therefore, earthquake-related experience and education may prevent injuries. Self-aid and mutual help played key roles in emergency, medical rescue efforts.

Highlights

Natural disasters, especially earthquakes, cause vast destruction, often resulting in massive casualties and economic loss
Teachers and medical staff were more vulnerable to the earthquake than were farmers
Our results revealed that there is an obvious connection between earthquake-related injury and individual behavioral characteristics

Summary

Introduction

Especially earthquakes, cause vast destruction, often resulting in massive casualties and economic loss. Researchers pay great attention to injuries and rescue efforts after earthquakes [1,2,3,4]; most scholars have focused on analyzing the earthquake trauma structure and its influencing factors, including the objective mechanisms after buildings collapse and the structure and timing of disaster relief deployment [5,6]. The data collected by medical institutions are the main source of research data. Hospitals in earthquake areas, especially first-level medical institutions, are in a chaotic state after an earthquake [1,4], which leads to data collection errors and omissions. As for earthquake victims, the subjective influencing factors of trauma and individual behavioral response have been largely ignored

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion