Alba Ripoll Gallardo1, Barbara Pacelli2,3, Marta Alesina4, Dario Serrone5, Giovanni Iacutone6, Fabrizio Faggiano2,7, Francesco Della Corte1, Elias Allara2,7,8. 1. Research Centre in Emergency and Disaster Medicine (CRIMEDIM), Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy. 2. Italian Association of Epidemiology. 3. Regional Health and Social Care Agency of Emilia-Romagna, Bologna, Italy. 4. Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. 5. Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy. 6. Department of Life, Health and Enviromental Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy. 7. Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy. 8. Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Abstract
Background: Accurate monitoring of population health is essential to ensure proper recovery after earthquakes. We aimed to summarize the findings and features of post-earthquake epidemiological studies conducted in high-income countries and to prompt the development of future surveillance plans. Methods: Medline, Scopus and six sources of grey literature were systematically searched. Inclusion criteria were: observational study conducted in high-income countries with at least one comparison group of unexposed participants, and measurement of health outcomes at least 1 month after the earthquake. Results: A total of 52 articles were included, assessing the effects of 13 earthquakes that occurred in eight countries. Most studies: had a time-series (33%) or cross-sectional (29%) design; included temporal comparison groups (63%); used routine data (58%); and focused on patient subgroups rather than the whole population (65%). Individuals exposed to earthquakes had: 2% higher all-cause mortality rates [95% confidence interval (CI), 1% to 3%]; 36% (95% CI, 19% to 57%) and 37% (95% CI, 29% to 46%) greater mortality rates from myocardial infarction and stroke, respectively; and 0.16 higher mean percent points of glycated haemoglobin (95% CI, 0.07% to 0.25% points). There was no evidence of earthquake effects for blood pressure, body mass index or lipid biomarkers. Conclusions: A more regular and coordinated use of large and routinely collected datasets would benefit post-earthquake epidemiological surveillance. Whenever possible, a cohort design with geographical and temporal comparison groups should be used, and both communicable and non-communicable diseases should be assessed. Post-earthquake epidemiological surveillance should also capture the impact of seismic events on the access to and use of health care services.
Background: Accurate monitoring of population health is essential to ensure proper recovery after earthquakes. We aimed to summarize the findings and features of post-earthquake epidemiological studies conducted in high-income countries and to prompt the development of future surveillance plans. Methods: Medline, Scopus and six sources of grey literature were systematically searched. Inclusion criteria were: observational study conducted in high-income countries with at least one comparison group of unexposed participants, and measurement of health outcomes at least 1 month after the earthquake. Results: A total of 52 articles were included, assessing the effects of 13 earthquakes that occurred in eight countries. Most studies: had a time-series (33%) or cross-sectional (29%) design; included temporal comparison groups (63%); used routine data (58%); and focused on patient subgroups rather than the whole population (65%). Individuals exposed to earthquakes had: 2% higher all-cause mortality rates [95% confidence interval (CI), 1% to 3%]; 36% (95% CI, 19% to 57%) and 37% (95% CI, 29% to 46%) greater mortality rates from myocardial infarction and stroke, respectively; and 0.16 higher mean percent points of glycated haemoglobin (95% CI, 0.07% to 0.25% points). There was no evidence of earthquake effects for blood pressure, body mass index or lipid biomarkers. Conclusions: A more regular and coordinated use of large and routinely collected datasets would benefit post-earthquake epidemiological surveillance. Whenever possible, a cohort design with geographical and temporal comparison groups should be used, and both communicable and non-communicable diseases should be assessed. Post-earthquake epidemiological surveillance should also capture the impact of seismic events on the access to and use of health care services.
Authors: Francesco D'Aloisio; Pierpaolo Vittorini; Anna Rita Giuliani; Maria Scatigna; Jacopo Del Papa; Mario Muselli; Giorgio Baccari; Leila Fabiani Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-06-14 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Sorin Cheval; Cristian Mihai Adamescu; Teodoro Georgiadis; Mathew Herrnegger; Adrian Piticar; David R Legates Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-06-10 Impact factor: 3.390