Ahmadreza Djalali1, Ali Ardalan2, Gunnar Ohlen3, Pier Luigi Ingrassia1, Francesco Della Corte1, Maaret Castren4, Lisa Kurland4. 1. Center for Research and Education in Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy. 2. Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3. Department of Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden. 4. Department of Clinical Sciences and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Hospitals are expected to function as a safe environment during disasters, but many become unusable because of nonstructural damage. This study compares the nonstructural safety of hospitals to disasters in Tehran and Stockholm. METHODS: Hospital safety in Tehran and Stockholm was assessed between September 24, 2012, and April 5, 2013, with use of the nonstructural module of the hospital safety index from the World Health Organization. Hospital safety was categorized as safe, at risk, or inadequate. RESULTS: All 4 hospitals in Stockholm were classified as safe, while 2 hospitals in Tehran were at risk and 3 were safe. The mean nonstructural safety index was 90% ± 2.4 SD for the hospitals in Stockholm and 64% ± 17.4 SD for those in Tehran (P = .014). CONCLUSIONS: The level of hospital safety, with respect to disasters, was not related to local vulnerability. Future studies on hospital safety should assess other factors such as legal and financial issues. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-6).
OBJECTIVE: Hospitals are expected to function as a safe environment during disasters, but many become unusable because of nonstructural damage. This study compares the nonstructural safety of hospitals to disasters in Tehran and Stockholm. METHODS: Hospital safety in Tehran and Stockholm was assessed between September 24, 2012, and April 5, 2013, with use of the nonstructural module of the hospital safety index from the World Health Organization. Hospital safety was categorized as safe, at risk, or inadequate. RESULTS: All 4 hospitals in Stockholm were classified as safe, while 2 hospitals in Tehran were at risk and 3 were safe. The mean nonstructural safety index was 90% ± 2.4 SD for the hospitals in Stockholm and 64% ± 17.4 SD for those in Tehran (P = .014). CONCLUSIONS: The level of hospital safety, with respect to disasters, was not related to local vulnerability. Future studies on hospital safety should assess other factors such as legal and financial issues. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-6).
Authors: E A Irvin-Barnwell; M Cruz; C Maniglier-Poulet; J Cabrera; J Rivera Diaz; R De La Cruz Perez; C Forrester; A Shumate; J Mutter; L Graziano; L Rivera Gonzalez; J Malilay; M Raheem Journal: Disaster Med Public Health Prep Date: 2020-02 Impact factor: 1.385
Authors: Saeed Fallah-Aliabadi; Abbas Ostadtaghizadeh; Ali Ardalan; Farin Fatemi; Bijan Khazai; Mohammad Reza Mirjalili Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2020-01-29 Impact factor: 2.655