Risk of Flood-Related Diseases of Eyes, Skin and Gastrointestinal Tract in Taiwan: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Floods are known to cause serious environmental damage and health impacts. Studies on flood-related diseases have been primarily on individual events, and limited evidence could be drawn on potential health impacts from floods using large population data. This study used reimbursement records of one million people of the Taiwan National Health Insurance program to compare incident diseases of the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal (GI) tract associated with floods. Incidence rates for the selected diseases were calculated according to outpatient/emergency visit data. The incidence rates were evaluated by flood status: in 10 days before floods, during floods and within 10 days after the floods receded. Outpatient/emergency visit rates for the eye, skin and GI tract diseases were highest after floods and lowest during floods. Results from multivariate Poisson regression analyses showed that, when compared with the incidence in 10 days before floods, the incidence rate ratios (IRR) of diseases within 10 days after floods were 1.15 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10–1.20) for eyes, 1.08 (95% C.I. = 1.05–1.10) for skin, and 1.11 (95% CI = 1.08–1.14) for GI tract, after controlling for covariates. All risks increased with ambient temperature. V-shaped trends were found between age and eye diseases, and between age and GI tract diseases. In contrast, the risk of skin diseases increased with age. In conclusion, more diseases of eyes, skin and GI tract could be diagnosed after the flood.

Impact of climate change on dermatological conditions related to flooding: update from the International Society of Dermatology Climate Change Committee

“…Scabies infestation by Sarcoptes scabiei is transmitted via direct skin‐to‐skin contact and was the leading cause of morbidity in the flooding in Baluchistan, Pakistan . Scabies appears as multiple pruritic erythematous papules with excoriations with predilection on the interdigital web spaces of hands and feet, volar wrists, umbilicus, areolae, and genital areas (Fig.…”

Sustainable Urban Water Management: Application for Integrated Assessment in Southeast Asia

“…For example, a massive outbreak of leptospirosis, an infectious disease caused by the pathogenic bacteria Leptospira spp., occurred following the historical flood caused by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, in Manila and its surrounding cities, which resulted in 3389 cases and 249 deaths [27]. An epidemiological study showed that urban flooding events increased cases of gastroenteritis in Taiwan [28].…”

Spectrum of ocular diseases in aftermath of monsoon flood in Nepal

“…2,3 Due to changes in environmental sanitation, overcrowded shelters, poor personal hygiene, poor nutrition and deterioration of drinking water supply, there is increased risk of infectious diseases. 4 Various studies have reported the increased risks of waterborne and vector-borne diseases from exposure to contaminated water and materials during the flood and in the post-flood cleanup process. The diseases of eyes, skin, soft tissue, gastrointestinal diseases, respiratory tract infections and vector-borne infectious diseases are reported to increase during and after the flood.…”

“…The diseases of eyes, skin, soft tissue, gastrointestinal diseases, respiratory tract infections and vector-borne infectious diseases are reported to increase during and after the flood. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Nepal is a low-income country with tremendous geographical diversity. Nepal can be divided along a south-to-north transect into three belts: Terai, Pahad and Himal.…”