Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-17T22:17:46.186Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Three Decades of Disasters: A Review of Disaster-Specific Literature from 1977–2009

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Erin Smith ,
Jason Wasiak ,
Ayan Sen ,
Frank Archer  and
Frederick M. Burkle Jr
Erin Smith*
Affiliation:
1Senior Lecturer, Monash University, Department of Community Emergency, Health and Paramedic Practice, Melbourne, Australia
Jason Wasiak
Affiliation:
2Research Fellow, Monash University, Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Melbourne, Australia
Ayan Sen
Affiliation:
3Resident, Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan USA
Frank Archer
Affiliation:
4Department Head, Monash University, Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Melbourne, Australia
Frederick M. Burkle Jr
Affiliation:
5Senior Fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard School of Public Health,Cambridge, Massachusetts USA 6Professor, Monash University, Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Melbourne, Australia
*
Monash UniversityDepartment of Community EmergencyHealth and Paramedic PracticeBuilding H, Peninsula CampusFrankston, VictoriaAustralia E-mail: erin.smith@med.monash.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction:

The potential for disasters exists in all communities. To mitigate the potential catastrophes that confront humanity in the new millennium, an evidence-based approach to disaster management is required urgently. This study moves toward such an evidence-based approach by identifying peer-reviewed publications following a range of disasters and events over the past three decades.

Methods:

Peer-reviewed, event-specific literature was identified using a comprehensive search of the electronically indexed database, MEDLINE (1956–January 2009). An extended comprehensive search was conducted for one event to compare the event-specific literature indexed in MEDLINE to other electronic databases (EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, CENTRAL, Psych Info, Maternity and Infant Care, EBM Reviews).

Results:

Following 25 individual disasters or overwhelming crises, a total of 2,098 peer-reviewed, event-specific publications were published in 789 journals (652 publications following disasters/events caused by natural hazards, 966 following human-made/technological disasters/events, and 480 following conflict/complex humanitarian events).The event with the greatest number of peer-reviewed, event-specific publications was the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks (686 publications). Prehospital and Disaster Medicine published the greatest number of peer-reviewed, event-specific publications (54), followed by Journal of Traumatic Stress (42), Military Medicine (40), and Psychiatric Services (40). The primary topics of event-specific publications were mental health, medical health, and response. When an extended, comprehensive search was conducted for one event, 75% of all peer-reviewed, event-specific publications were indexed in MEDLINE.

Conclusions:

A broad range of multi-disciplinary journals publish peer-reviewed, event-specific publications. While the majority of peer-reviewed, event-specific literature is indexed in MEDLINE, comprehensive search strategies should include EMBASE to increase yield.

Keywords

databasedisasterevidence-based practiceliterature reviewpeer review
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 24 , Issue 4 , August 2009 , pp. 306 - 311
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Hogan, DE, Burstein, JL: Basic Physics of Disasters. In: Hogan, DE, Burstein, JL (eds). Disaster Medicine. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002; p 3.Google Scholar
2World Health Organization: Statistical Information System Page. Available at http://www.who.int/whosis. Accessed 08 May 2007.Google Scholar
3Prince, S: Catastrophe and Social Change. New York: Columbia University Press; 1920.Google Scholar
4De Guzman, EM: Towards total disaster risk management approach. Report of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs—Asian Disaster Reduction Centre. Developed following the Consultative Meeting on Regional Cooperation in Natural Disasters, Katmandu, Nepal July 2001. Available at http://www.adrc.or.jp/publications/Asian_Conference_2003/E)TDRM%20February%202003.pdf Accessed 09 February 2007.Google Scholar
5Burkle, FM Jr, Greenough, PG: Impact of public health emergencies on modern disaster taxonomy, planning, and response. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2008;2(3):192–199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Al-Madhari, AF, Keller, AZ: Review of disaster definitions. Prehosp Disaster Med 1997;12(1):17–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7World Health Organization: Plan and design; risk, emergencies and disasters 2006. Available at http://www.who.org Accessed 11 March 2007.Google Scholar
8International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): Introduction to Disaster Preparedness—Disaster Preparedness Training Program 2000. Available at http://www.ifrc.org/what/dp/manual/introdp.pdf. Accessed 10 June 2007.Google Scholar
9Noji, EK (ed.): The Public Health Consequences of Disasters. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997; pp xiv–xv.Google Scholar
10Gregg, MB: Foreword. In: type="editors">Noji, EK (ed.) The Public Health Consequences of Disasters. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.Google Scholar