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Reducing Public Health Risk During Disasters: Identifying Social Vulnerabilities

Author

Listed:
  • Wolkin Amy
  • Burrer Sherry

    (Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA)

  • Patterson Jennifer Rees
  • Soler Elena

    (SciMetrika, LLC, Durham, NC, USA)

  • Harris Shelly

    (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA)

  • McGeehin Michael

    (Senior Consultant, RTI International, Atlanta, GA, USA)

  • Greene Sandra

    (Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA)

Abstract

All regions of the US experience disasters which result in a number of negative public health consequences. Some populations have higher levels of social vulnerability and, thus, are more likely to experience negative impacts of disasters including emotional distress, loss of property, illness, and death. To mitigate the impact of disasters on at-risk populations, emergency managers must be aware of the social vulnerabilities within their community. This paper describes a qualitative study which aimed to understand how emergency managers identify social vulnerabilities, also referred to as at-risk populations, in their populations and barriers and facilitators to current approaches. Findings suggest that although public health tools have been developed to aid emergency managers in identifying at-risk populations, they are not being used consistently. Emergency managers requested more information on the availability of tools as well as guidance on how to increase ability to identify at-risk populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Wolkin Amy & Burrer Sherry & Patterson Jennifer Rees & Soler Elena & Harris Shelly & McGeehin Michael & Greene Sandra, 2015. "Reducing Public Health Risk During Disasters: Identifying Social Vulnerabilities," Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, De Gruyter, vol. 12(4), pages 809-822, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:johsem:v:12:y:2015:i:4:p:809-822:n:5
    DOI: 10.1515/jhsem-2014-0104
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    Cited by:

    1. Cibele Oliveira Lima & Jarbas Bonetti, 2020. "Bibliometric analysis of the scientific production on coastal communities’ social vulnerability to climate change and to the impact of extreme events," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 102(3), pages 1589-1610, July.
    2. Hersila H. Patel & Sarah E. Messiah & Eric Hansen & Emily M. D’Agostino, 2021. "The relationship between transportation vulnerability, school attendance, and free transportation to an afterschool program for youth," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 2315-2333, October.

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