Immediate and long-term health impact of exposure to gas-mining induced earthquakes and related environmental stressors

The Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19: A Protocol for a Comprehensive Assessment of the Short- and Long-Term Health Impact of the Pandemic in the Netherlands

BACKGROUND

The global COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected public health. Directly, the pandemic resulted in over 6.6 million deaths, numerous hospitalizations, and widespread illness. The pandemic has also affected health indirectly through government-imposed protective measures, causing decline in mental well-being and increasing social isolation. Unlike previous disasters or crises, the pandemic's worldwide and enduring impact necessitates a unique research approach. The Network for Health Research in Disasters in the Netherlands responded by initiating a longitudinal, extensive research project called the Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19. The Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19 explores both the direct and indirect health effects of the pandemic at the population level.

METHODS

The Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19 employs a dual-pronged monitoring strategy alongside an annual literature review. This strategy comprises short-cycle monitoring (conducted quarterly) and long-cycle monitoring (conducted once every one or two years). This comprehensive approach enables the evaluation of health trends during the pandemic, facilitating comparisons with pre-pandemic levels and identification of risk and protective factors. Both monitoring methods incorporate data from surveys and general practice registries. The integration of annual literature reviews with these measurements enables iterative research, while dialogues on policy and practice improvements enhance the knowledge-to-action process.

DISCUSSION

Much of the existing knowledge about the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is derived from research on sudden-onset disasters limited to specific geographical areas. This study is anticipated to provide valuable fresh insights into the evolving dynamics of population health and specific vulnerabilities within the ongoing pandemic context.

Landelijk gezondheidsonderzoek bij rampen

De coronacrisis en de gevolgen die deze op de gezondheid van de Nederlandse bevolking heeft gaan de normale regionale onderzoeksaanpak te boven. Daarom heeft het Netwerk GOR-COVID-19 – dat bestaat uit GGD GHOR Nederland (namens de GGD’en), RIVM, Nivel en ARQ Nationaal Psychotrauma Centrum – het initiatief genomen voor een landelijk onderzoeksprogramma om de impact van de coronapandemie op de mentale en fysieke gezondheid van de Nederlandse bevolking op lange termijn te monitoren: de integrale Gezondheidsmonitor COVID-19. In dit artikel beschrijven we de achtergrond en opzet van deze gezondheidsmonitor, die erop is gericht onderzoeksbevindingen toepasbaar te maken voor praktijk en beleid, zowel lokaal als nationaal.