Chapter 2.2 Measuring the health impacts of disasters
Chapter 2.2 covers the following key factors relating to measuring the health impacts of disasters:
- The importance and relevance of measuring the health impacts of disasters.
- The variety of indicators that characterize the health impacts and risks of emergencies and disasters.
- Systems and methodologies that can be used to measure health impacts.
- Challenges and issues in measuring the health impacts of disasters.
- Strategies to cope with these issues.
What is this chapter about?
Measuring the health impacts of disasters is a challenge. Indicators and systems are available to help decision-makers characterize the health impacts and risks of emergencies and disasters.
This chapter describes common health indicators used to quantify sudden-impact health impacts from disasters caused by natural hazards. It describes surveillance systems that can be used in health emergency and disaster risk management, including the Surveillance in Post-Extreme Emergencies and Disasters (SPEED) programme in the Philippines.
Case study presented in the chapter:
New technologies to detect and track outbreaks: Early Warning, Alert and Response System in Bangladesh.
Authors: Law R.
