Using the Experience of Natural Disasters to Prevent Health Hazards in Shelters

Abstract

Introduction:The number of deaths from natural disasters that have occurred in Japan since 1989 is in the order of (1) the Great East Japan Earthquake, (2) the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and (3) the Kumamoto Earthquake, but the ratio of related deaths to the total number of deaths was highest for the Kumamoto earthquake.Method:In the case of the Kumamoto earthquake, an inland earthquake of the same scale as the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, direct deaths due to the earthquake were suppressed, but related deaths are thought to have increased due to the effects of evacuation life and other factors. According to a report by Kumamoto Prefecture, the majority of direct deaths from the Kumamoto earthquake were caused by trauma such as excessive pressure or asphyxiation. As for related deaths, most of the victims were aged 60 years or older, more than 80% of them had pre-existing medical conditions, and respiratory and circulatory system diseases were the most common causes of death.Results:A survey of victims transported by ambulance from evacuation centers to medical institutions after the Kumamoto earthquake showed that a large number of victims were transported in the acute phase after the disaster. The reasons for transport are diverse injuries and illnesses, including trauma from falls, dyspnea, impaired consciousness, and fever, suggesting that stress from the earthquake and problems in the living environment of the evacuation centers had an impact on the deterioration of health conditions.Conclusion:It is important to identify issues and consider countermeasures based on past experiences in order to prevent health hazards in evacuation centers.