Integrating epidemiological and engineering approaches in the assessment of human casualties in earthquakes

Stav Shapira; Limor Aharonson-Daniel; Igal M Shohet; Corinne Peek-Asa; Yaron Bar-Dayan

doi:10.1007/s11069-015-1780-0

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Integrating epidemiological and engineering approaches in the assessment of human casualties in earthquakes

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Integrating epidemiological and engineering approaches in the assessment of human casualties in earthquakes

Stav Shapira, Limor Aharonson-Daniel, Igal M Shohet, Corinne Peek-Asa and Yaron Bar-Dayan

Natural hazards (Dordrecht), Vol.78(2), pp.1447-1462

05/05/2015

DOI: 10.1007/s11069-015-1780-0

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Abstract

Earthquakes pose substantial risks of human health. Preparedness and mitigation strategies can reduce earthquake-related injuries and deaths and information from casualty models that predict earthquake outcomes can help communities prepare. This study identifies epidemiologic and medical risk factors for earthquake casualties, and compares them with engineering casualty models for the purpose of providing evidence that integrates these approaches. It aims to improve earthquake casualty modeling and to offer better accurate estimations. Epidemiological studies that used analytical designs and reported risk factors related to earthquake-induced casualties and studies that examined the association between medical preparedness and earthquake-induced casualties were reviewed. Engineering casualty estimation models were reviewed to identify which risk factors were considered in the models. Epidemiological studies identified the following risk factors: gender, age, socioeconomic status, physical disability and human behavior. Medical preparedness factors were also related to earthquake-induced injury and death. Global casualty estimation models do not currently consider these factors. This study provides evidence that integrating demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population and levels of medical preparedness into the existing casualty estimation models may improve their accuracy.

Civil Engineering

Earth and Environmental Science

Earth Sciences

Environmental Management

Geophysics/Geodesy

Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences

Hydrogeology

Natural Hazards

Review Article

Details

Title: Subtitle: Integrating epidemiological and engineering approaches in the assessment of human casualties in earthquakes
Creators: Stav Shapira - Department of Emergency Medicine, Leon and Mathilde Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PREPARED Center for Emergency Response Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Limor Aharonson-Daniel - Department of Emergency Medicine, Leon and Mathilde Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PREPARED Center for Emergency Response Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Igal M Shohet - Department of Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Corinne Peek-Asa - Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa
Yaron Bar-Dayan - Department of Emergency Medicine, Leon and Mathilde Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PREPARED Center for Emergency Response Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Natural hazards (Dordrecht), Vol.78(2), pp.1447-1462
DOI: 10.1007/s11069-015-1780-0
ISSN: 0921-030X
eISSN: 1573-0840
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Language: English
Date published: 05/05/2015
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Nursing; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9984215141402771

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