Consequences Of Disasters Research Articles

WAYS TO IMPROVE THE MECHANISM OF PROPERTY INSURANCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

The article is devoted to the essence of insurance and the mechanism of realization of property insurance at the present stage of economic development in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Insurance is an important element of the functioning of the financial system of the state, capable of ensuring the continuity of social reproduction, depending on the negative consequences of natural disasters, accidents, natural and man-made disasters and other unforeseen events that cause high risks of property loss, as well as to guarantee social protection of the population. to stabilize the process of investing in the economy. Today, property insurance in Uzbekistan is an insurance industry in which the object of insurance relations are property interests and property in various forms (for example, buildings, structures, equipment, and so on). The property insurance market in our country is developing quite rapidly, and if there are no serious turning points in society in the future, then after a while insurance may become one of the main factors protecting the interests of citizens and legal entities owning any property.

Health Consequences of Natural Disasters: An Overview of Recent Literature on Floods

Disasters, whether arising from natural forces or human activities, engender substantial harm, loss, and, in severe cases, fatalities. The enduring repercussions extend across individuals, animals, societies, ecosystems, and geographical locations. The consequences of disasters on public health are particularly pronounced, manifesting in a spectrum of medical outcomes. This review delves into the specific impact of floods on distinct age groups, scrutinizing the varying vulnerabilities within each demographic. Infants, young children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly encounter distinctive challenges during and post-flood events, encompassing respiratory ailments, waterborne diseases, infections, hunger, physical injuries, and psychological disorders. Floods not only compromise healthcare services but also precipitate shortages in medication and suboptimal treatment. Health issues resulting from floods exhibit divergence among neonates, infants, children, adolescents, and older individuals. The susceptibility to physical injuries, infections, respiratory disorders, healthcare disruptions, mental health issues, malnutrition, and waterborne diseases varies with the unique vulnerabilities of each age group. Disruptions to routine life disproportionately impact children and adolescents, whereas infants and older individuals exhibit heightened susceptibility. Extreme flood events pose the potential for fatalities, with the risk contingent on both the severity of the flood and the age group affected. Older adults, newborns, and infants face a higher likelihood of mortality attributable to flood-related causes. Mitigating the adverse health effects of floods necessitates robust disaster planning, improved infrastructure, and targeted health interventions tailored to the age-related vulnerabilities of the population.

Last Mile Humanitarian Aid Delivery Model with Electric Vehicles to Disaster Areas

Natural disasters that cause a lot of loss of life and property in Türkiye occur frequently due to reasons such as our country's geographical location, climatic conditions and landforms. For this reason, it is necessary to be extremely prepared for the consequences of disasters. It is also very important to quickly deliver the necessary materials and equipment to people affected by these disasters. For this reason, electric vehicles were included in the mathematical model proposed in the study due to the fuel problems that will be experienced during the disaster process. In this study, a 0-1 mixed integer last mile humanitarian aid distribution model that will be delivered to hospitals from the designated warehouse after a possible disaster is proposed. The proposed model determines routes that will minimize the total distance of electric vehicles, taking into account their charging and energy consumption. Considering the power outages after the earthquake, solar powered electric vehicle charging stations were preferred. The proposed model was applied for the post-earthquake aid distribution example in Kayseri province. Distance data and consumed energy amounts for the Kayseri province example were entered into the model and solved in the CPLEX program. With this study, an example application was carried out for aid distribution activities with electric vehicles after an earthquake in Kayseri. Additionally, the effectiveness of the use of energy-efficient electric vehicles in disaster management was evaluated in the article.

Ukraine’s energy supply in the defense sector: The first lessons of war

The terrible consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which continues on the territory of the Ukrainian land, and the consequences of natural disasters indicate the need to create alternative (reserve or emergency) sources of energy supply for enterprises, institutions, and individual households, and objects of small forms of management, especially outside the points of permanent deployment. Ensuring an uninterrupted and stable electricity supply to all these forms is an extremely important problem for Ukraine as the country faced a large number of challenges regarding energy independence due to numerous missile strikes. The purpose of the study was to analyze the energy system and the level of damage to Ukraine after the Russian missile attacks, the impact on the state of energy supply of individual facilities and consumers of military camps, examine the possibilities of using emergency and backup energy sources and alternative energy, in particular, solar and wind. The study analyses the destruction of the energy system of Ukraine as a result of missile attacks and the possibilities of using emergency and backup energy sources and alternative energy, in particular, solar and wind, and the investigation of the potential and opportunities to attract investment in the field of alternative energy. Special attention is paid to small business facilities, including military camps. In the course of the study, it was determined that Ukraine has a geographical location that provides space for the installation of various alternative energy systems and the possibility of combining them to diversify and improve the stability and reliability of the Ukrainian energy system. The practical importance of the study lies in the ability to make more informed decisions regarding the implementation of programs aimed at switching to alternative and decentralized energy sources. This will make the country’s energy infrastructure more stable and allow better meeting the energy needs of small forms of management, individual farms, military units, formations, and infrastructure facilities.

Geoecological and economic consequences of creation, drainage and possible variants of restoration the Kakhovsky reservoir

In the article, in the aspect of engineering and geological safety of structures and communications, the long-term hydrogeological consequences of the support and drainage effects at coastal areas of destroyed Kakhovsky hydro node reservoir as a leading eco-forming component of a giant natural and man-made geosystem are considered. In particular, it included Zaporizhia NPP, the largest in Europe, and the largest irrigation systems in Ukraine. The consequences of the hydrodynamic disaster due to explosion of Kakhovskaya HPP, the dynamics and current state of drainage of the bed of its reservoir are briefly described, according to the data of GIS analysis of space images. And also – the state of hydrogeological and engineering-geological conditions in the reservoir support zone at the time of disaster and in retrospect. A calculated assessment of changes in hydrogeological conditions for the next 10-15 years has been carried out. Long-term natural and man-made threats that arose as a result of such changes in hydrogeological (geofiltration and geodynamic) conditions are named. The set of socio-economic threats that arose due to the negative consequences of Kakhovsky reservoir existence and draining is described. It is emphasized that the restoration of hydrotechnical and water management parameters of the reservoir in the previous values (according to the conservative version) will lead to secondary geospatial water saturation of subsiding loess-loamy silty-clay floatingable rocks that have already undergone deformations due to a decrease in geotechnical stability during the initial flooding and subsequent drainage. This will start a new stage in the formation of dangerous violations of stress-deformed state of coastal slopes, of Zaporizhzhya NPP responsible structures foundation and in nearby cities and towns. A socially and ecologically favorable option for the rehabilitation of affected region is possible only on the modern European ideological and technological basis of taking into account the maximum permissible changes in the hydrological network, i.e. by means of: creating a cascade of low support channel reservoirs with locks and small hydroelectric power stations, reconstruction of riverside ponds and water supply systems, transfer of domestic water supply to underground sources, irrigated lands – for drip irrigation, ecological reclamation and afforestation of drained lands.

STABILIZATION OF THE REVERSING SPEED OF THE DRIVE MOTOR SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR PRIVATE VOLTAGE WITH ACCUMULATORS BATTERIES

To limit the consequences of natural disasters and natural disasters (Japan's Fukushima NPP, Chornobyl NPP), reliable power supply systems are used for responsible mechanisms, which include engines of the cooling system of nuclear reactors, feed pumps and other consumers. Therefore, the use of reliable power supply systems increases the trouble-free operation of the station. Diesel generator sets, turbo generators, and batteries are used as sources of reliable power.
 A significant disadvantage of thermal sources of mechanical energy is the softness of external characteristics. Known sources do not cover the issue of using electromechanical converters for generating units with a capacity from 100 kW to several thousand kW.
 Theoretical studies on the basis of existing autonomous sources of power supply proved that existing heat engines do not allow to stabilize the speed of rotation of the synchronous generator, which feeds responsible consumers, even in the presence of a general-mode speed regulator. Therefore, a stabilization system was developed and proposed when powering a DC motor from a battery.
 The calculated dependences confirmed the stability of the generator rotation speed with the proper selection of the feedback coefficients.

Natural disasters, stock price volatility in the property-liability insurance market and sustainability: An unexplored link

The close interrelationship between sustainability and natural disasters is both bidirectional and complex, holding paramount significance within the realm of the economics of natural disasters. The ravaging effects of natural disasters extend beyond the directly affected regions, influencing sustainability and impeding recovery efforts. The aftermaths are felt across economic sectors, making it imperative to examine the financial implications, particularly for the insurance sector, a pivotal player in disaster recovery. Despite the critical role of insurance (especially property coverage), the financial repercussions for insurance companies have not received sufficient attention in the literature. Notably, there are no studies on the evolution of their stock prices, especially their volatility, in the short and medium term. Therefore, this article respond to the call made by Eckhardt et al. [60] for studies that examine the consequences of natural disasters beyond the short term, and use econometric techniques to measure them. Moreover, it focuses on a type of consequence that remains largely unexplored in the literature: the volatility of property and liability (P&L) insurers, which is closely related to sustainability. Employing a multi-event framework, we estimate the GARCH-type model that best captures the volatility behavior of P&L insurance companies in the United States over the past decade, as well as the impact of natural disasters on that volatility, in both the short and the medium term, thus going beyond the immediate effects examined in most related studies. The conclusions are of major interest to policymakers and P&L insurers, providing the former with a series of instruments to control the volatility of the returns of P&L insurers, and stock markets over different timeframes, and providing the latter with the tools needed to better manage the volatility of their stock prices and their value-at-risk.

A Comparison of Estimated and Actual Indicators of Flood Damage on the Yana River in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)

In 2022, Verkhoyansky District of Yakutia experienced the largest flood of the regional scale, affecting 1,220 people and with the cost of emergency recovery work amounting to RUB 160.2 million. For the Arctic regions, the consequences of natural disasters are felt several times more acutely, due to the natural and geographical peculiarities and the duration of the process of restoration of the disturbed ecosystem. Protection of the population and territories of the Arctic is one of the priority tasks of the state policy of Russia. The article assesses the flood hazard on the Yana River. Based on the analysis of historical elevations at hydrological posts, hydrological characteristics of the water body, determination of maximum levels, water discharge of the river, and basic hydrological calculations, the area of flooded territory of settlements in Verkhoyansky District of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) under the percentage availability is determined, and a map of flood zones is drawn up. Using the cadastral value of lands falling into the flood zone, the index of forecast economic damage is determined in order to preliminarily determine the scale of flooding; to carry out preventive measures for preparation, protection of the population, socially important objects, buildings and structures; to plan the amount of financial resources required for rescue operations and for liquidation of the consequences of emergency situations. A comparison and an analysis of actual and estimated damage indicators are given. A strong disproportion in the actual and calculated indicators of economic damage is proved.

Scientific development of the concept of disaster medicine as an effective measure to prevent negative consequences of natural disasters

Literature data on the scientific development of the concept of disaster medicine, which began about five decades ago, are analyzed. Various disciplines such as public health, emergency medical services, emergency medicine and military medicine work within the framework of disaster medicine. Disaster medicine aims to ensure that public health services and facilities are functional both before and after disasters in order to prevent and reduce the adverse health effects on societies facing disaster risks. It is a discipline with slow scientific progress due to its unclearly systematized interdisciplinary structure and fields of study. However, important goals for disaster medicine have been specified in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 published by the United Nations. Among the global goals of disaster medicine are to reduce the number of deaths and injuries, reduce the number of people affected, strengthen the infrastructure of critical facilities, and ensure the sustainable functioning of these facilities during disasters. To achieve these goals, disaster medicine is expected to grow rapidly both institutionally and academically. Disaster medicine is a global, mass, administrative, and doctrinal discipline that extends beyond clinical research. In particular, the development and dissemination of education in disaster medicine was first emphasized in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was adopted globally in 2015. It is believed that the discipline of disaster medicine will reach the peak of development by 2030. At present, the development and improvement of disaster medicine knowledge system is one of the priority areas. Disaster medicine is a new and comprehensive discipline that covers a broad area of practice and research and includes medical disciplines such as emergency medicine, trauma medicine and public health and health care, as well as disaster management covering non-medical issues such as communications, logistics and transportation. Disaster medicine is a field that requires specialized training to interact with the many agencies working for disaster management.

The Phenomenon of Chinese Charity within the Paternalistic Model of Social Policy

This article highlights the main aspects of the development of private and corporate charity in the People's Republic of China and analyzes the process of integrating charity into the paternalistic model of social policy, traditional for China. The main data on the economic development of China, especially the private sector of the economy, which is the main donor of charitable projects and programs, are presented. The increased attention of the state to private charity is stated as an opportunity to make additional financial injections into solving social problems. A brief description of legal innovations concerning the development of Chinese philanthropy is provided. The specific features of national charity reflecting the socio-cultural and economic characteristics of the country are considered. The increased role of corporate and private charity in the fight against poverty, the elimination of the consequences of natural disasters, and the support of education is stated. At the same time, attention is drawn to the desire of the state to coordinate and control the processes of creating charitable organizations, to direct their activities, which in the conditions of paternalistic traditions looks natural. The political aspects of the growth of charity are considered, in particular, related to the concept of ‘universal prosperity’. The desire of the country's leadership to reduce the growing socio-economic stratification is clearly seen, using not only state programs, but also the potential of charitable organizations and individuals. The data of sociological surveys of the most affluent citizens of the People’s Republic of China are given, indicating their high motivation to help and support fellow citizens in need. The development of charity in China, especially corporate, is interpreted as a process of its peculiar ‘embedding’ not only in the economy, but also in politics.

Using mobile phone data to map evacuation and displacement: a case study of the central Italy earthquake

Population displacement is one of the most common consequences of disasters, and it can profoundly affect communities and territories. However, gaining an accurate measure of the size of displacement in the days and weeks following a major disaster can be extremely difficult. This study uses aggregated Call Detail Records as an inexpensive and efficient technique to measure post-disaster displacement in four Italian regions affected by repeated earthquakes in 2016–2017. By comparing post-disaster mobile phone count with a forecast computed before the earthquake hit, we can compute an index of change in the presence of mobile phones (MPE). This measure, obtained thanks to advanced analytical techniques, provides a reliable indication of the effect of the earthquake in terms of immediate and medium-term displacement. We test this measure against census data and in combination with other datasets. Looking into available data on economic activities and requests for financial support to rebuild damaged buildings, we can explain MPE and identify significant factors affecting population displacement. It is possible to apply this innovative methodology to other disaster scenarios and use it by policymakers who want to understand the determinants of population displacement.

Legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories: problems of ecological improvement

The paper deals with the problems of the legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories. Particular attention is paid to the implementation of constitutional priorities, which provide for the need to ensure environmental safety and maintain ecological balance on the territory of Ukraine, overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Moreover, the paper emphasizes the mandatory content of the legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories due to the need to overcome the consequences of the accident. Accordingly, restoration and ecological rehabilitation are identified among the priority tasks of the legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories. The issue of insufficient legal provision of measures for the ecological improvement of such territories is raised in the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Regime of the Territory Exposed to Radioactive Pollution as a Result of the Chernobyl Disaster". The majority of its norms are aimed precisely at the conservation of the ecological situation in the relevant territory, in particular the division of the territory into relevant zones, and the definition of restrictions both in access to such territories and types of economic activity within the limits of the relevant zones, which requires supplementing the provisions of the Law aimed at the restoration of radioactively contaminated territories. Taking into account the state's duty to ensure environmental safety, the priority nature and proper financing of measures for environmental improvement and restoration of radioactively contaminated territories in the state budget are considered. Based on the results of the conducted research, a complex approach to the legal provision of ecological rehabilitation of radioactively contaminated territories is substantiated, which will include the need to localize such territories by introducing a nature protection regime with limited anthropogenic influence. Determination of a set of measures aimed at the removal or neutralization of radioactively irradiating components within the framework of separate programs for the restoration of such territories. Provision of priority budget financing of measures for ecological rehabilitation of radioactively contaminated territories and objects is analysed as a component of national security.

A Finnish Survey of Adverse Effects of COVID-19 Injectables and the Functionality of the Medical System

The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented containment measures across multiple countries, with the announced intent of saving lives. Among them was the rapid development of prophylactic vaccines, with the promise of no corners cut, but warning signals from safety monitoring systems around the world raised concerns. The current survey was undertaken to evaluate the Finnish medical system in light of adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccination. An online survey consisting of 96 questions (see the Appendix) was promoted through social media. Persons believing they had been injured by any COVID-19 injectable contacted the second author who first verified the identity of the respondent and then gave that person the key to complete the questionnaire. The open period lasted from 5 March 2023 to 25 July 2023.: Out of 67 respondents 63 completed the survey and the collected data was analyzed. Of 63 respondents, 55 (87%) were females and 8 (13%) males. The majority, 56 (89%) of them, were fully employed, and 29 (46%) were social sector or medical professionals. None were previously “vaccine hesitant”. All received from 1 to 4 doses of COVID-19 injectable(s), and 19 (30%) reported doing so under duress. Despite having complied with mandatory vaccination, 13 of the individuals (21%) lost their jobs, and 13 (21%) changed their profession because of the shots. Of the vaccine recipients, 40 (63%) reported that they were only partially able to continue their daily routines, and 17 (27%) reported not being able to maintain daily routines at all. Upon noticing adverse effects, 58 (92%) of the respondents opted to refuse any further doses, but 29 (46%) of them were compelled to take further shots despite their symptoms of prior vaccine injury. A broad range of system disorders was reported, including, notably, neurological and cardiovascular problems. Respondents were asked to describe their experience with the medical system and the healthcare workers they called on for help. Results show that COVID-19 injectables elicited a broad range of severe symptoms, raising grave concerns about the dangers of the products and casting doubt on whether promised benefits outweigh the risks that are increasingly well-known. Dozens of vaccinees in this data set were gravely impacted and these cases can only represent a small fraction of the larger number of injuries that have already occurred and continue to occur in Finland alone. Further use of these and future products based on this gene therapy technology should be suspended or discontinued altogether and medical doctors must educate and prepare themselves to face the consequences of this worldwide public health disaster. Open and sincere debates on the implications for medical ethics and the risk-benefit ratio of this novel technology are warranted.

A Finnish Survey of Adverse Effects of COVID-19 Injectables and the Functionality of the Medical System

The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented containment measures across multiple countries, with the announced intent of saving lives. Among them was the rapid development of prophylactic vaccines, with the promise of no corners cut, but warning signals from safety monitoring systems around the world raised concerns. The current survey was undertaken to evaluate the Finnish medical system in light of adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccination. An online survey consisting of 96 questions (see Appendix) was promoted through social media. Persons believing they had been injured by any COVID-19 injectable contacted the second author who first verified the identity of the respondent and then gave that person the key to complete the questionnaire. The open period lasted from 5 March 2023 to 25 July 2023.: Out of 67 respondents 63 completed the survey and the collected data was analyzed. Of 63 respondents, 55 (87%) were females and 8 (13%) males. The majority, 56 (89%) of them, were fully employed, and 29 (46%) were social sector or medical professionals. None were previously “vaccine hesitant”. All received from 1 to 4 doses of COVID-19 injectable(s), and 19 (30%) reported doing so under duress. Despite having complied with mandatory vaccination, 13 of the individuals (21%) lost their jobs, and 13 (21%) changed their profession because of the shots. Of the vaccine recipients, 40 (63%) reported that they were only partially able to continue their daily routines, and 17 (27%) reported not being able to maintain daily routines at all. Upon noticing adverse effects, 58 (92%) of the respondents opted to refuse any further doses, but 29 (46%) of them were compelled to take further shots despite their symptoms of prior vaccine injury. A broad range of system disorders was reported, including, notably, neurological and cardiovascular problems. Respondents were asked to describe their experience with the medical system and the healthcare workers they called on for help. Results show that COVID-19 injectables elicited a broad range of severe symptoms, raising grave concerns about the dangers of the products and casting doubt on whether promised benefits outweigh the risks that are increasingly well-known. Dozens of vaccinees in this data set were gravely impacted and these cases can only represent a small fraction of the larger number of injuries that have already occurred and continue to occur in Finland alone. Further use of these and future products based on this gene therapy technology should be suspended or discontinued altogether and medical doctors must educate and prepare themselves to face the consequences of this worldwide public health disaster. Open and sincere debates on the implications for medical ethics and the risk-benefit ratio of this novel technology are warranted.

QuickAware: a virtual reality tool for quick clay landslide hazard awareness

Disaster emergency management is crucial for safeguarding lives and the environment in the face of natural and human-caused calamities, such as quick clay landslides. Disaster emergency management encompasses hazard identification, prevention, response, and recovery, most of which require knowledge and information acquired through training initiatives. Quick clay landslides pose a substantial hazard in regions like Scandinavia, Canada, Alaska, and Russia. With numerous historical incidents, knowledge-based awareness of quick clay landslide hazards is of paramount importance. In recent years, the area of application of virtual reality (VR) has grown tremendously from the entertainment industry to the military, to mental health, to hazard identification training and our daily lives. VR has been widely employed in hazard identification and prevention, safety training, evacuation, search and rescue, and damage identification of hazards. This study outlines the design, development, and implementation of QuickAware, a VR tool designed to create awareness of quick clay hazards. The development process of the tool started with a co-design approach where stakeholder experts were brought to collaborate in setting up VR scenarios and defining the VR environment contents. The contents were then conceptualized and translated into a VR experience. The novelty of the tool is that it immerses users in a realistic experience, allowing them to engage directly with the causes and consequences of quick clay landslide disasters which would be dangerous in real-life. The usability of the VR tool was examined by surveying 16 participants. The preliminary results of the survey indicated that the tool has a promising value in improving awareness creation for quick clay landslide hazards.

Quantification of Loss of Access to Critical Services during Floods in Greater Jakarta: Integrating Social, Geospatial, and Network Perspectives

This work presents a framework for assessing the socio-physical disruption of critical infrastructure accessibility using the example of Greater Jakarta, a metropolitan area of the Indonesian city. The first pillar of the framework is damage quantification based on the real flood event in 2020. Within this pillar, the system network statistics before and shortly after the flood were compared. The results showed that the flood impeded access to facilities, distorted transport connectivity, and increased system vulnerability. Poverty was found to be negatively associated with surface elevation, suggesting that urbanization of flood-prone areas has occurred. The second pillar was a flood simulation. Our simulations identified the locations and clusters that are more vulnerable to the loss of access during floods, and the entire framework can be applied to other cities and urban areas globally and adapted to account for different disasters that physically affect urban infrastructure. This work demonstrated the feasibility of damage quantification and vulnerability assessment relying solely on open and publicly available data and tools. The framework, which uses satellite data on the occurrence of floods made available by space agencies in a timely manner, will allow for rapid ex post investigation of the socio-physical consequences of disasters. It will save resources, as the analysis can be performed by a single person, as opposed to expensive and time-consuming ground surveys. Ex ante vulnerability assessment based on simulations will help communities, urban planners, and emergency personnel better prepare for future shocks.

Analisis Prosedur Penyelesaian Kredit Bermasalah pada Koperasi Pegawai Wilayah Mandiri (Kopegwil Medan)

This research focuses on the procedure for resolving problematic credit in the Mandiri Medan employee cooperative. This research was carried out at the Karya Bersama Sejahtera Cooperative using the Qualitative Descriptive Analysis method which has primary and secondary data sources through interviews and documentation. The research subject is the Mandiri Regional Employees Cooperative, and the research object is bad credit and its resolution. The research results show (1) The causes of bad credit at the Mandiri Medan Regional Employees Cooperative are internal and external factors. Internal factors, namely: lack of selectivity on the part of the cooperative in analyzing credit provision, bad faith on the part of the employees of the Mandiri Medan Regional Employee Cooperative, and a weak credit monitoring system. External factors, namely: a decline in economic conditions, bad faith from debtors, and the consequences of natural disasters. (2) The impact of bad credit on the Mandirir Medan Regional Employees Cooperative is reducing cooperative income, cash flow becomes stagnant, cooperative capital decreases, and customer confidence decreases. (3) Efforts made to overcome bad credit at the Mandiri Medan Regional Employees Cooperative are rescheduling, restructuring, confiscation of collateral and credit write-off.

Unnatural Consequences of Natural Disasters: Earthquake Journalism of Newspapers

Doğal afet dönemleri, toplumun tamamına yakınının dayanışma duyguları içerisinde bir arada hareket ettikleri zaman dilimleridir. Bu süreçte, gayri resmî-resmî, ferdî-kolektif tüm unsurların aynı amaç doğrultusunda hareket etmeleri beklenmektedir. Sağlıklı ve etkili bir kamu yönetimi için varlığına ihtiyaç duyulan medya kuruluşları da bu unsurların başında gelmektedir. Medya kuruluşları; sadece bilgilendirici olmakla kalmamakta aynı zamanda toplumu organize edici ve harekete geçirici özellikler de taşımaktadır. Olağanüstü durumlar, ilgili kuruluşların tutum ve faaliyetlerini ölçmek için bir bakıma sınav niteliğindedir. Bu çalışma, 06.02.2023 tarihli Kahramanmaraş merkezli depremler sonrası basılı medya kuruluşlarının olağan günlerdeki siyasi-ideolojik konumlarını, afetin hemen sonrasındaki günlerde değiştirip değiştirmediklerini, tarafsız haberciliğe yönelip yönelmediklerini ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu bağlamda, farklı ideolojilere sahip olan ve siyasi iktidarın yanında ya karşısında konumlanan Hürriyet, Sabah, Türkiye, Cumhuriyet, Karar ve Millî Gazete’nin 07.02.2023-16.02.2023 tarihlerini içeren on günlük dönemdeki ilk sayfa haberlerinin içerik analizi yöntemiyle tahlili gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda, gazetelerin afet haberleri sunumunda dahi, afetin üzerinden oldukça az bir süre geçmiş olmasına rağmen, genel itibarıyla muhalifi bulundukları siyasi tarafı eleştirmeye odaklı, yanlı haber sunma eğiliminde oldukları gözlenmiştir. Bu çalışmanın, ülke genelinde “asrın felaketi” olarak nitelenen bir doğal afetin hemen sonrasında, Türkiye basılı medyasındaki tutum tespitini gerçekleştirmesinin, tarafsız ve objektif yayıncılık değerlerinin hatırlatılması hususunda önem taşıdığı düşünülmektedir.

Effects of Wildfire Events on California Radiation Oncology Clinics and Patients

PurposeThe impact of climate-driven events, such as wildfires, on healthcare delivery and cancer care is a growing concern. Patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy are particularly vulnerable to treatment interruptions, which have a direct impact on survival. We report the results of a study characterizing the impact of wildfires on radiation oncology clinics and their patients. Methods and MaterialsA survey of California radiation oncologists was used to evaluate emergency preparedness and the impact of wildfires on the delivery of radiotherapy services between 2017-2022. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-squared tests were performed to investigate potential relationships between provider characteristics, practice settings, and perceptions of the impact of wildfire events. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) data were employed to map the geographic distribution of wildfires to clinic locations. ResultsResponse rate was 12.3% (51/415 radiation oncologists), representing 25% of clinics (43/176) in 41% (24/58) of California counties. 61% (31/51) of respondents reported being impacted by a wildfire, two of which are rural clinics (100%, 2/2) and 29 are (59%, 29/49) metropolitan practices. Of these, 18% (9/51) reported a clinic closure, and 29% (15/51) reported staffing shortages. Respondents reported impacts on patients, including having to evacuate (55%, 28/51), cancel/reschedule treatments (53%, 27/51), and experiencing physical, mental, or financial hardship due to wildfires (45%, 23/51). Respondents described impacts on clinical operations, including being forced to transfer patients (24%, 12/51), transportation interruptions (37%, 19/51), regional/community evacuations (35%, 18/51), and physical/mental health impacts (27%, 14/51) on clinic personnel. Less than half of the respondents (47%, 24/51) reported their workplace had a wildfire emergency preparedness plan. Additionally, geographic analysis revealed that 100% (176/176) of clinics were located within 25 miles of a wildfire. ConclusionsThis study highlights the impact of wildfires on radiation oncology clinics and patients, and underscores the need for emergency preparedness planning to minimize the consequences of such disasters.

Disaster education: empowering resilience and mitigating PTSD in disaster-prone areas of China

The people of disaster-affected communities are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the adverse effects of natural disasters. Education about disasters has become a possible strategy for fostering resilience and easing PTSD symptoms. This study intends to investigate the moderating roles of social support and disaster experiences on the relationships between disaster education, psychological resilience, and PTSD in disaster-prone regions of Southwest China. This study used Disaster Education Evaluation Scale, Psychological Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Social Support Rating Scale (SRSS), event intensity Scale and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTSD-SS), surveyed 712 residents in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other areas where natural disasters frequently occur in Southwest China. The research findings indicate that there is a negative association between disaster education and PTSD. The association is influenced by the presence of improved psychological resilience, which acts as a mediator. Additionally, it was discovered that disaster events positively moderated the relationship between psychological resilience and PTSD while social support negatively moderated it. Resilience has a noteworthy role as a substantial mediator, highlighting its crucial function in mitigating the detrimental consequences of catastrophes and amplifying the beneficial outcomes of disaster education. These results imply that building psychological resilience, which might reduce PTSD symptoms in people living in disaster-prone regions, is a critical part of disaster education. The strength of the catastrophic event and social support are other factors that affect how psychological resilience and PTSD are related. The research argues that disaster education is crucial for strengthening community resilience and reducing PTSD symptoms in at-risk areas. To increase psychological resilience and lessen PTSD in high-risk locations, policymakers and disaster management organizations should emphasize disaster education initiatives and strengthen social support network.