Health Risks of Flood Disasters

Paterson, David L.; Wright, H. Bunker; Harris, Patrick N A

doi:10.1093/cid/ciy227

Cited by 162 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…In England, it is estimated that around 5.2 million properties are at risk of flooding [2]. Frequency and intensity of floods are anticipated to increase in the future due to population growth, urban development on flood plains, and climate change [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The English National Cohort Study of Flooding & Health: psychological morbidity at three years of follow up

et al. 2020

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Background: Flooding is expected to increase due to climate change, population growth and urban development. The longer-term mental health impacts of flooding are not well understood. In 2015, the English National Study of Flooding and Health was established to improve understanding of the impact of flooding on health and inform future public health action. Methods: We used 3 years of data from the English National Study of Flooding and Health. Participants who had consented to follow up were sent a questionnaire. Participants were classified into either "unaffected", "disrupted" or "flooded" according to their exposure. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios for probable depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in each exposure group. The Wald test was used to assess the difference in probable mental health outcomes for those who did and did not experience "persistent damage" to their home. Conditional logistic regression was conducted to assess change in prevalence over the 3 years and to identify possible determinants of recovery. Results: Eight hundred nineteen individuals were included in the final analysis -119 were classified as unaffected, 421 disrupted and 279 flooded. Overall, 5.7% had probable depression, 8.1% had probable anxiety and 11.8% had probable PTSD, with higher prevalence in the flooded group compared with the unaffected group. After adjustment for potential confounders, probable mental health outcomes were higher in the flooded group compared to the unaffected group, significantly for probable depression (aOR 8.48, 95% CI 1.04-68.97) and PTSD (aOR 7.74, 95% CI 2.24-26.79). Seventy-seven (9.4%) participants reported experiencing persistent damage to their home, most commonly damp (n = 40) and visible mould (n = 26) in liveable rooms. Of the 569 participants who responded at all 3 years, a significant reduction in prevalence for all probable mental health outcomes was observed in the flooded group. Conclusions: Flooding can have severe long-lasting consequences on mental health in affected populations. If these problems are not identified and treated early, they may persist for years. Further research is necessary to develop and evaluate interventions to increase resilience in at risk populations and to ensure timely access to support services following flooding.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The English National Cohort Study of Flooding & Health: psychological morbidity at three years of follow up

et al. 2020

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“…However, there is lack of data on the dynamics of harmful pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria in urban floodwaters, particularly due to difficulty in sampling following the aftermath of such a disaster [8,9]. According to Paterson et al [10], floods (excluding landslides) affected >74 million persons globally, resulted in 4720 deaths and had an economic cost of >$57 billion in 2016 alone. Therefore, floods are the most frequent natural disaster and can have widespread adverse health impacts [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological Assessment of Tap Water Following the 2016 Louisiana Flooding

Phan

Sherchan

2020

IJERPH

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Floods are a prominent risk factor in the world of public health, as there is a risk of dispersal of harmful biological and chemical contaminants in floodwater. As climate change increases, the occurrence of natural disasters and risk of adverse health outcomes due to flash flooding also increases. Fecal indicator bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Enterococci, are often encountered in contaminated floodwater and can cause gastrointestinal illnesses as well as a variety of infections. In August 2016, East Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes in Louisiana suffered heavy floods due to intense rainfall. No study of water quality during flooding has been conducted previously in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Twenty-three pre-flush and post-flush water samples were collected immediately from accessible homes that had been affected by the floods in order to quantify concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria. These samples were analyzed for the presence of E. coli and Enterococci through both quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and the IDEXX enzyme substrate method. The qPCR results indicated that 30% of the samples contained Enterococci and 61% of the samples contained E. coli, with the highest concentrations found in the pre-flush outdoor hose and the pre-flush kitchen tap. The IDEXX method yielded total coliforms in 65% of the samples, E. coli in 4%, and Enterococci in 35%, with the highest concentrations in the pre-flush outdoor faucet and the pre-flush post-filtration kitchen tap. Physical parameters including temperature, barometer pressure, dissolved oxygen, oxidation reduction potential, pH, conductivity, and salinity of these samples were also recorded. Of these parameters, conductivity and salinity were significant, suggesting they may positively influence E. coli and Enterococci growth.

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“…Flood is defined as a large amount of water that flows rapidly, overflows, and covers an area of land that is normally dry. In other words, the flood is the relatively high rise of water in a river (2). This rising is relative and generally depends on the normal state of the water (3).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges and Needs of the Iranian Red Crescent Society in Response to the Great Flood of Iran in 2019

Soltani¹,

Alaeddini²,

Shamspour

et al. 2020

jorar

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INTRODUCTION: In the first half of April 2019, heavy rains in central and western parts of Iran resulted in great floods. The rains affected 24 provinces and caused extensive damage to urban and rural infrastructure. Since Iran, especially the northern, western, and southern provinces of Iran are prone to floods, the floods are expected to occur every year in many provinces. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the needs and problems of the Red Crescent Society in different provinces of Iran in response to the great flood of Iran in 2019. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in all provinces of Iran after the end of the flood response operations in April 2017. The required data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire and interviews with provincial operational managers. The designed questionnaire had different parts about the situation of the provinces in the face of floods, the most important problems faced during floods, and the most important needs for facing floods. Participants were also asked two questions about the information and equipment they should have had before the flood. FINDINGS: Analysis of the answers revealed that 24 provinces (77.41% of the country) were affected by the floods. The most common problems were lack of equipment and low public awareness which were repeated by the subjects 24 and 17 times, respectively. Moreover, the need for specialized equipment and training courses were also the most important needs. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, the Iranian Red Crescent Society faced many problems and needs during the disaster relief process in the 2019 flood which indicated the lack of a comprehensive plan for flood management in Iran. Therefore, policymakers and disaster managers must develop practical and localized guidelines for relief according to the conditions of Iran in order to achieve the ultimate goal of disaster management which is to reduce deaths, injuries, and financial damages.

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Health Risks of Flood Disasters

Cited by 162 publications

References 53 publications

The English National Cohort Study of Flooding & Health: psychological morbidity at three years of follow up

The English National Cohort Study of Flooding & Health: psychological morbidity at three years of follow up

Microbiological Assessment of Tap Water Following the 2016 Louisiana Flooding

Challenges and Needs of the Iranian Red Crescent Society in Response to the Great Flood of Iran in 2019

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