EMERGENCY HEALTH PROBLEMS STUDY
Abstract
The peacetime health status of the population (based on the U. S. public Health Service National Health Survey) and the range of complications due to shelter living were evaluated. Rough estimates suggest that medical care and public health measures could add a number of survivors equal to 1 - 2 percent of the total preattack population during a single two-week period under ideal conditions. Postattack medical care of casualties would not seriously compete with measures directed toward health maintenance of the general population, except for consumable medical supplies. Because casualty care and health maintenance of non-casualties are capable of adding comparable numbers of survivors during the shelter period (a maximum of 2 percent of the preattack population for either type of emphasis), it is concluded that both approaches should be emphasized. The available data on chronic, non-communicable diseases is sufficient to allow more quantitative stockpile planning of medical items for these conditions in shelters. Further research will be necessary before this is true for communicable diseases, because of the complexity of disease spread during shelter confinement. A method for optimizing the allocation of drugs for support of non-communicable chronic and acute conditions to shelters in a stockpiling program is suggested and illustrated by an example.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 31, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0411787
Entities
People
- W. T. Herzog
Organizations
- RTI International