Health consequences of disasters: Advancing disaster data science

Abstract

Understanding the health effects of disasters is critical for effective preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. However, research is negatively impacted by both the limited availability of disaster data and the difficulty of identifying and utilizing disaster specific and health data sources relevant to disaster research and management. In response to numerous requests from disaster researchers, emergency managers, and operational response organizations, 73 distinct data sources at the intersection of disasters and health were compiled and categorized. These data sources generally cover the entire United States, address both disasters and health, and are available to researchers at little or no cost. Data sources are described and characterized to support improved research and guide evidence-based decision making. Current gaps and potential solutions are presented to improve disaster data collection, utilization, and dissemination.