Health Data Management for before, during and after emergencies and disasters - Knowldge gap

Various knowledge gaps identified so far are listed on this page. 

1. Tracking and monitoring health indicators for disaster risk reduction [1] 

  • Lack of agreed all-hazard and disasters classification hampers health data collection. 

  • Need for working epidemiological definitions to address temporality, attribution, and baseline data issues. 

  • Challenges in harmonizing health data collection methods across different disaster types. 

 

2. Lack of internationally agreed or standardized methodology for public health data collection [2]

  • Absence of universally accepted approach for data collection during and after disasters. 

  • Variability in data collection methods affects data comparability between countries. 

  • Standardization needed for better cross-border collaboration and response coordination. 

 

3. Research on effective information collection and sharing systems [2]

  • Inadequate research on collaboration between local health facilities and Emergency Medical Teams. 

  • Need for efficient information sharing during acute phases of disasters. 

  • Effective systems enhance real-time communication and response coordination. 

 

4. Seamless transition from acute to post-acute phase data collection [2]

  • Limited understanding of smooth transition between acute and post-acute phases. 

  • Challenges in balancing EMT involvement and local capacity utilization. 

  • Research needed to bridge the data collection gap between phases for continuity. 

 

5. Standardization of broader health-related data [2]

  • Lack of standardized data on community vulnerabilities, hospital status, lifelines, etc. 

  • Standardization enhances data usability for effective Health EDRM strategies. 

  • Need for agreed-upon data elements to capture essential health-related information. 

 

 

References

[1] Chan EYY, Murray V. What are the health research needs for the Sendai Framework. Lancet. 2017;390:e35–e36. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31670-7. 

[2] Kubo T, Tanasan A, Herbosa T, Buddh N, Fernando F, Kayano R. Health Data Collection Before, During and After Emergencies and Disasters-The Result of the Kobe Expert Meeting. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16(5):E893. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16050893. 

Research Themes