Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Volume 8 – Issue 06 – December 2014
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=DMP&tab=currentissue

Brief Reports
Perceptions of the Utility and Acceptability of an Emergency Child Minding Service for Health Staff
Jenine Lawlora1 c1, Richard C. Franklina1, Peter Aitkena1a2, Bethany Hookea2, Jeremy Furyka1a2 and Andrew Johnsona1a2
a1 College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
a2 Townsville Hospital and Health Services, Emergency Department, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Abstract
Objective
Tropical Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland activated the disaster management plans at The Townsville Hospital, including the establishment of an emergency child minding service to facilitate the return of staff to work.
Methods
This report describes the establishment of this service and the results of brief electronic surveys that were distributed in the 2 weeks following the cyclone to gather feedback from staff who had placed their children in the care of the service (consumers), staff who had manned the service (staff), and allied health managers whose staff had manned the service (managers).
Results
Overall, approximately 94 episodes of care were provided by the child minding service. All consumers responded “‘yes’” in answer to the question of whether the emergency child minding service facilitated their return to work in the immediate post-disaster period. The survey also identified that a lack of effective advertising may have prevented further uptake of the child minding service.
Conclusions
The provision of an emergency child minding service facilitated the return to work of health care staff immediately after Tropical Cyclone Yasi. More research is needed to understand the effect disaster type has on the uptake of a child minding service. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8:485-488)

Original Research
Behavioral Consequences of Disasters: A Five-Stage Model of Population Behavior
Sasha Rudenstinea1 c1 and Sandro Galeaa1
a1 Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, New York.
ABSTRACT
Objective
We propose a model of population behavior in the aftermath of disasters.
Methods
We conducted a qualitative analysis of an empirical dataset of 339 disasters throughout the world spanning from 1950 to 2005.
Results
We developed a model of population behavior that is based on 2 fundamental assumptions: (i) behavior is predictable and (ii) population behavior will progress sequentially through 5 stages from the moment the hazard begins until is complete.
Conclusions
Understanding the progression of population behavior during a disaster can improve the efficiency and appropriateness of institutional efforts aimed at population preservation after large-scale traumatic events. Additionally, the opportunity for population-level intervention in the aftermath of such events will improve population health. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8:497-504)

Original Research
Educating First Responders to Provide Emergency Services to Individuals with Disabilities
Susan B. Wolf-Fordhama1 c1, Janet S. Twymana1 and Charles D. Hamada1
a1 University of Massachusetts Medical School, E.K. Shriver Center, Charlestown, Massachusetts.
Abstract
Objective
Individuals with disabilities experience more negative outcomes due to natural and manmade disasters and emergencies than do people without disabilities. This vulnerability appears to be due in part to knowledge gaps among public health and safety emergency planning and response personnel (responders). We assessed the effectiveness of an online program to increase emergency responder knowledge about emergency planning and response for individuals with disabilities.
Methods
Researchers developed an online course designed to teach public health, emergency planning and management, and other first response personnel about appropriate, efficient, and equitable emergency planning, response, interaction, and communication with children and adults with disabilities before, during, and after disasters or emergencies. Course features included an ongoing storyline, exercises embedded in the form of real-life scenarios, and game-like features such as points and timed segments.
Results
Evaluation measures indicated significant pre- to post-test gains in learner knowledge and simulated applied skills.
Conclusion
An online program using scenarios and simulations is an effective way to make disability-related training available to a wide variety of emergency responders across geographically disparate areas. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8:533-540)