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Hu P, Li Z, Gui J, Xu H, Fan Z, Wu F, Liu X. Retrospective charts for reporting, analysing, and evaluating disaster emergency response: a systematic review. BMC Emerg Med 2024; 24:93. [PMID: 38816816 PMCID: PMC11140892 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-024-01012-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Given the frequency of disasters worldwide, there is growing demand for efficient and effective emergency responses. One challenge is to design suitable retrospective charts to enable knowledge to be gained from disasters. This study provides comprehensive understanding of published retrospective chart review templates for designing and updating retrospective research. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and text analysis of peer-reviewed articles and grey literature on retrospective chart review templates for reporting, analysing, and evaluating emergency responses. The search was performed on PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science and pre-identified government and non-government organizational and professional association websites to find papers published before July 1, 2022. Items and categories were grouped and organised using visual text analysis. The study is registered in PROSPERO (374,928). RESULTS Four index groups, 12 guidelines, and 14 report formats (or data collection templates) from 21 peer-reviewed articles and 9 grey literature papers were eligible. Retrospective tools were generally designed based on group consensus. One guideline and one report format were designed for the entire health system, 23 studies focused on emergency systems, while the others focused on hospitals. Five papers focused specific incident types, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, mass burning, and mass paediatric casualties. Ten papers stated the location where the tools were used. The text analysis included 123 categories and 1210 specific items; large heterogeneity was observed. CONCLUSION Existing retrospective chart review templates for emergency response are heterogeneous, varying in type, hierarchy, and theoretical basis. The design of comprehensive, standard, and practicable retrospective charts requires an emergency response paradigm, baseline for outcomes, robust information acquisition, and among-region cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengwei Hu
- Department of Health Service, School of Public Health, Logistics University of People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China
- Department of Health Training, Second military medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Zhehao Li
- Department of Health Training, Second military medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jing Gui
- Department of Health Training, Second military medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- Department of Research, Characteristic Medical Center of People Armed Police, Tianjin, China
| | - Honglei Xu
- Medical Security Center, The No.983 Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Forces of Chinese PLA, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhongsheng Fan
- Department of Health Training, Second military medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Fulei Wu
- School of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaorong Liu
- Department of Health Training, Second military medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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2
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Michele RR, Catherine B. Integrated environmental health assessment: Proposed approaches to exposure during chemical incidents. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:481-497. [PMID: 37449539 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
An integrated environmental health exposure assessment (IEHA) refers to the integration of human biomonitoring data (HBM) and environmental measurements and aims to optimize the exposure assessment process. Due to lack of data, this approach remains an issue during chemical incidents. This study aims to explore integrated exposure approaches for assessing human health risks during chemical incidents. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, a literature analysis was performed. A level of confidence ranging from 1 to 4 was established to define the quality and strength of data used to undertake an IEHA approach. Twenty-seven articles (n = 18) and texts (n = 9) from Europe (41%) and the United States (37%) were analyzed. Among the 18 scientific articles, 61% (n = 11) presented a quantitative approach and 17% (n = 3) presented a qualitative approach. Quantitative approaches must be based on accurate data, coupled with predictive models. Of all the scientific papers, 40% (n = 7) responded to a confidence level greater than or equal to 2. Uncertainties detected through the integrated exposure approaches were related to input data, analytical methods, and HBM reference value interpretations. During chemical incidents, direct measurements were the most relevant data. Few scientific studies have developed an integrated approach during emergency situations. However, when this was used, they presented a high level of confidence by defining levels of exposure that support decision-making processes. Despite the multiple approaches, there was a lack of guidelines allowing an integrated risk assessment to be performed during an emergency chemical exposure. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:481-497. © 2023 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bouland Catherine
- Ecole de Santé Publique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
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Malik NS, Chernbumroong S, Xu Y, Vassallo J, Lee J, Moran CG, Newton T, Arul GS, Lord JM, Belli A, Keene D, Foster M, Hodgetts T, Bowley DM, Gkoutos GV. Paediatric major incident triage: UK military tool offers best performance in predicting the need for time-critical major surgical and resuscitative intervention. EClinicalMedicine 2021; 40:101100. [PMID: 34746717 PMCID: PMC8548919 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children are frequently injured during major incidents (MI), including terrorist attacks, conflict and natural disasters. Triage facilitates healthcare resource allocation in order to maximise overall survival. A critical function of MI triage tools is to identify patients needing time-critical major resuscitative and surgical intervention (Priority 1 (P1) status). This study compares the performance of 11 MI triage tools in predicting P1 status in children from the UK Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) registry. METHODS Patients aged <16 years within TARN (January 2008-December 2017) were included. 11 triage tools were applied to patients' first recorded pre-hospital physiology. Patients were retrospectively assigned triage categories (P1, P2, P3, Expectant or Dead) using predefined intervention-based criteria. Tools' performance in <16s were evaluated within four-yearly age subgroups, comparing tool-predicted and intervention-based priority status. FINDINGS Amongst 4962 patients, mortality was 1.1% (n = 53); median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 9 (IQR 9-16). Blunt injuries predominated (94.4%). 1343 (27.1%) met intervention-based criteria for P1, exhibiting greater intensive care requirement (60.2% vs. 8.5%, p < 0.01) and ISS (median 17 vs 9, p < 0.01) compared with P2 patients. The Battlefield Casualty Drills (BCD) Triage Sieve had greatest sensitivity (75.7%) in predicting P1 status in children <16 years, demonstrating a 38.4-49.8% improvement across all subgroups of children <12 years compared with the UK's current Paediatric Triage Tape (PTT). JumpSTART demonstrated low sensitivity in predicting P1 status in 4 to 8 year olds (35.5%) and 0 to 4 year olds (28.5%), and was outperformed by its adult counterpart START (60.6% and 59.6%). INTERPRETATION The BCD Triage Sieve had greatest sensitivity in predicting P1 status in this paediatric trauma registry population: we recommend it replaces the PTT in UK practice. Users of JumpSTART may consider alternative tools. We recommend Lerner's triage category definitions when conducting MI evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabeela S. Malik
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiological Research Centre (SRMRC), Heritage Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- 212 (Yorkshire) Field Hospital, Endcliffe Hall, Endcliffe Vale Road, Sheffield S10 3EU, United Kingdom
- Corresponding author at: NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiological Research Centre (SRMRC), Heritage Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom.
| | - Saisakul Chernbumroong
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiological Research Centre (SRMRC), Heritage Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Yuanwei Xu
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - James Vassallo
- Academic Department of Military Emergency Medicine, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
| | - Justine Lee
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- University Hospitals Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
- NHS England London, Skipton House, 80 London Road, London SE1 6LH, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher G. Moran
- NHS England London, Skipton House, 80 London Road, London SE1 6LH, United Kingdom
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | - Tina Newton
- Birmingham Children's Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom
| | - G. Suren Arul
- 212 (Yorkshire) Field Hospital, Endcliffe Hall, Endcliffe Vale Road, Sheffield S10 3EU, United Kingdom
- Birmingham Children's Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom
| | - Janet M. Lord
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiological Research Centre (SRMRC), Heritage Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Antonio Belli
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiological Research Centre (SRMRC), Heritage Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- University Hospitals Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
| | - Damian Keene
- University Hospitals Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
- Academic Department of Military Surgery & Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Foster
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiological Research Centre (SRMRC), Heritage Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom
- University Hospitals Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
- Academic Department of Military Surgery & Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy Hodgetts
- Headquarters Defence Medical Services, Coltman House, Lichfield WS14 9PY, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas M. Bowley
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- University Hospitals Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
- Academic Department of Military Surgery & Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB, United Kingdom
| | - Georgios V. Gkoutos
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiological Research Centre (SRMRC), Heritage Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- MRC Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), Midlands Site, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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A Qualitative Study on Researchers' Experiences after Publishing Scientific Reports on Major Incidents, Mass-Casualty Incidents, and Disasters. Prehosp Disaster Med 2021; 36:536-542. [PMID: 34486507 PMCID: PMC8459171 DOI: 10.1017/s1049023x21000911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Introduction and Objective: Scientific reporting on major incidents, mass-casualty incidents (MCIs), and disasters is challenging and made difficult by the nature of the medical response. Many obstacles might explain why there are few and primarily non-heterogenous published articles available. This study examines the process of scientific reporting through first-hand experiences from authors of published reports. It aims to identify learning points and challenges that are important to address to mitigate and improve scientific reporting after major incidents. Methods: This was a qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected based on a comprehensive literature search. Ten researchers, who had published reports on major incidents, MCIs, or disasters from 2013-2018 were included, of both genders, from eight countries on three continents. The researchers reported on large fires, terrorist attacks, shootings, complex road accidents, transportation accidents, and earthquakes. Results: The interview was themed around initiation, workload, data collection, guidelines/templates, and motivation factors for reporting. The most challenging aspects of the reporting process proved to be a lack of dedicated time, difficulties concerning data collection, and structuring the report. Most researchers had no prior experience in reporting on major incidents. Guidelines and templates were often chosen based on how easily accessible and user-friendly they were. Conclusion and Relevance: There are few articles presenting first-hand experience from the process of scientific reporting on major incidents, MCIs, and disasters. This study presents motivation factors, challenges during reporting, and factors that affected the researchers’ choice of reporting tools such as guidelines and templates. This study shows that the structural tools available for gathering data and writing scientific reports need to be more widely promoted to improve systematic reporting in Emergency and Disaster Medicine. Through gathering, comparing, and analyzing data, knowledge can be acquired to strengthen and improve responses to future major incidents. This study indicates that transparency and willingness to share information are requisite for forming a successful scientific report.
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5
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DeVita T, Brett-Major D, Katz R. How are healthcare provider systems preparing for health emergency situations? WORLD MEDICAL & HEALTH POLICY 2021; 14:102-120. [PMID: 34226853 PMCID: PMC8242524 DOI: 10.1002/wmh3.436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Natural disasters, disease outbreaks, famine, and human conflict have strained communities everywhere over the course of human existence. However, modern changes in climate, human mobility, and other factors have increased the global community's vulnerability to widespread emergencies. We are in the midst of a disruptive health event, with the COVID-19 pandemic testing our health provider systems globally. This study presents a qualitative analysis of published literature, obtained systematically, to examine approaches health providers are taking to prepare for and respond to mass casualty incidents around the globe. The research reveals emerging trends in the weaknesses of systems' disaster responses while highlighting proposed solutions, so that others may better prepare for future disasters. Additionally, the research examines gaps in the literature, to foster more targeted and actionable contributions to the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy DeVita
- Department of Internal Medicine Yale University School of Medicine New Haven Connecticut USA
| | - David Brett-Major
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha Nebraska USA
| | - Rebecca Katz
- Center for Global Health Science and Security Georgetown University School of Medicine Washington District of Columbia USA
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6
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Otto Q, Nolan JP, Chamberlain DA, Cummins RO, Soar J. Utstein Style for emergency care - the first 30 years. Resuscitation 2021; 163:16-25. [PMID: 33823223 DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2021.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Utstein Abbey near Stavanger in Norway, hosted a meeting in 1990 on guidelines for the uniform reporting of data from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In this paper we describe the last 30 years of the Utstein style. METHODS A systematic literature search identified publications from Utstein-style meetings or groups using the Utstein format. RESULTS 30 outputs were found, describing primarily resuscitation structure, process and outcome measures. They originated from all over the world and from multiple medical disciplines. Some were co-published in multiple journals. CONCLUSIONS The meeting at Utstein Abbey in 1990 has had a sustained and far-reaching impact, particularly in resuscitation science, implementation and outcomes. The Utstein format will continue to evolve following the key principles from the original meeting and with the ultimate aim of improving patient care and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jerry P Nolan
- University of Warwick, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK
| | | | - Richard O Cummins
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Jasmeet Soar
- Consultant in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine, Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK
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7
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Lin CH. Disaster Medicine in Taiwan. J Acute Med 2019; 9:83-109. [PMID: 32995238 PMCID: PMC7440387 DOI: 10.6705/j.jacme.201909_9(3).0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to examine scientific publications that were related to disaster medicine and were authored by emergency medicine physicians in Taiwan. This descriptive study utilized the electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Academic works that were published between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2018, were collected for review and analysis. Of the 53 articles included in the final analysis,40 (75.5%) were original research, 3 (5.7%) were reviews, 1 (1.9%) was a brief report, and 9 (17.0%) were perspectives. The top 5 themes were disaster response systems (17, 32.1%), endemic diseases (11, 20.8%), emergency department (ED) overcrowding (10, 18.9%), earthquakes (10, 18.9%), and ED administration (9, 17.0%). Sixteen (30.2%) articles involved international collaborations. The median, interquartile range and range of the numbers of citations of the articles were 3, 1-11, and 0-65, respectively. Twenty-four (45.3%) articles were related to specific incidents: the Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999 (n = 5), the Singapore airline crash in 2000 (n = 1), Typhoon Nari in 2001 (n = 1), the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003 (n = 7), Typhoon Morakot in 2009 (n = 1), the color party explosion in Formosa Fun Coast Park in 2015 (n = 4), and the Tainan earthquake in 2016 (n = 5). Regarding the study methods, 19 (35.8%) articles were quantitative studies; 10 (18.9%) were qualitative or semiqualitative studies; 8 (15.1%) used questionnaire surveys; 3 (5.7%) were literature reviews; 3 (5.7%) used computer simulations; and 10 (18.9%) were descriptive/narrative or other types of studies. Though the number of academic publications related to disaster medicine from the EDs in Taiwan is relatively limited, the quality and diversity of research seem promising. The research environment and education programs on disaster medicine in Taiwan deserve thoughtful consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hao Lin
- National Cheng Kung University Department of Emergency Medicine National Cheng Kung University Hospital College of Medicine Tainan Taiwan
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8
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August 24th, 2016 Central Italy Earthquake - Validation of “Modified Utstein Template for Hospital Disaster Response Reporting,” A New Tool for Reporting Hospital’s Reaction to Disasters. Prehosp Disaster Med 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s1049023x19000281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Introduction:After Action Reports analyze events and recommend actions to facilitate preparedness and response to future similar disasters. However, there is no consensus among the templates developed to collect data during disasters and little is known about how to report hospital responses.Aim:The hypothesis was that the use of a new assessment tool for hospital response to natural disasters facilitates the systematic collection of data and the delivery of a scientific report after the event.Methods:A data collection tool, focused on hospital response to natural disasters, was created modifying the “Utstein-Style Template for Uniform Data Reporting of Acute Medical Response in Disasters”,1 and tested the reaction of the hospitals involved in the response to the Central Italy earthquake on August 24th, 2016.Results:Four hospitals were included. The completion rate of the tool was of 97.10%. A total of 613 patients accessed the four emergency departments, most of them in Rieti hospital (178; 29.04%). Three hundred and thirty – six patients were classified as earthquake-related (54.81%), most of which with trauma injuries (260; 77.38%).Discussion:The new reporting tool proved to be easy to use and allowed to retrospectively reconstruct most (97.10%) of the actions implemented by hospital responders. Details about activation, patient fluxes, times, and actions undertaken were easily reconstructed throughout in-field interviews of hospital managers and patients’ charts. Patients were uniformly distributed across the four hospitals, and the hospital capabilities were able to cope with this mass influx of casualties. The Modified Utstein Template for Hospital Disaster Response Reporting is a valid tool for hospital disaster management reporting. This template could be used for a better comprehension of hospital disaster reaction, debriefing activities, and revisions.
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Lampi M, Junker JPE, Tabu JS, Berggren P, Jonson CO, Wladis A. Potential benefits of triage for the trauma patient in a Kenyan emergency department. BMC Emerg Med 2018; 18:49. [PMID: 30497397 PMCID: PMC6267912 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-018-0200-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improved trauma management can reduce the time between injury and medical interventions, thus decreasing morbidity and mortality. Triage at the emergency department is essential to ensure prioritization and timely assessment of injured patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate how a lack of formal triage system impacts timely intervention and mortality in a sub-Saharan referral hospital. Further, the study attempts to assess potential benefits of triage towards efficient management of trauma patients in one middle income country. METHODS A prospective descriptive study was conducted. Adult trauma patients admitted to the emergency department during an 8-month period at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, were included. Mode of arrival and vital parameters were registered. Variables included in the analysis were Injury Severity Score, time before physician's assessment, length of hospital stay, and mortality. The patients were retrospectively categorized according to the Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System (RETTS) from patient records. RESULTS A total of 571 patients were analyzed, with a mean Injury Severity Score of 12.2 (SD 7.7) with a mean length of stay of 11.6 (SD 18.3) days. The mortality rate was 1.8%. The results obtained in this study illustrate that trauma patients admitted to the emergency department at Eldoret are not assessed in a timely fashion, and the time frame recommendations postulated by RETTS are not adhered to. Assessment of patients according to the triage algorithm used revealed a significantly higher average Injury Severity Score in the red category than in the other color categories. CONCLUSION The results from this study clearly illustrate a lack of correct prioritization of patients in relation to the need for timely assessment. This is further demonstrated by the retrospective triage classification of patients, which identified patients with high ISS as in urgent need of care. Since no significant difference in to time to assessment regardless of injury severity was observed, the need for a well-functioning triage system is apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lampi
- Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Johan P. E. Junker
- Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - John S. Tabu
- Department of Disaster Risk Management, Moi University College of Health and Science, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Peter Berggren
- Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Carl-Oscar Jonson
- Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Andreas Wladis
- Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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10
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Sunde GA, Kottmann A, Heltne JK, Sandberg M, Gellerfors M, Krüger A, Lockey D, Sollid SJM. Standardised data reporting from pre-hospital advanced airway management - a nominal group technique update of the Utstein-style airway template. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2018; 26:46. [PMID: 29866144 PMCID: PMC5987657 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-018-0509-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pre-hospital advanced airway management with oxygenation and ventilation may be vital for managing critically ill or injured patients. To improve pre-hospital critical care and develop evidence-based guidelines, research on standardised high-quality data is important. We aimed to identify which airway data were most important to report today and to revise and update a previously reported Utstein-style airway management dataset. Methods We recruited sixteen international experts in pre-hospital airway management from Australia, United States of America, and Europe. We used a five-step modified nominal group technique to revise the dataset, and clinical study results from the original template were used to guide the process. Results The experts agreed on a key dataset of thirty-two operational variables with six additional system variables, organised in time, patient, airway management and system sections. Of the original variables, one remained unchanged, while nineteen were modified in name, category, definition or value. Sixteen new variables were added. The updated dataset covers risk factors for difficult intubation, checklist and standard operating procedure use, pre-oxygenation strategies, the use of drugs in airway management, airway currency training, developments in airway devices, airway management strategies, and patient safety issues not previously described. Conclusions Using a modified nominal group technique with international airway management experts, we have updated the Utstein-style dataset to report standardised data from pre-hospital advanced airway management. The dataset enables future airway management research to produce comparable high-quality data across emergency medical systems. We believe this approach will promote research and improve treatment strategies and outcomes for patients receiving pre-hospital advanced airway management. Trial registration The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics in Western Norway exempted this study from ethical review (Reference: REK-Vest/2017/260). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13049-018-0509-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- G A Sunde
- Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway. .,Dept. of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. .,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
| | - A Kottmann
- Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.,Emergency Dept., University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Air Ambulance - Rega, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - J K Heltne
- Dept. of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Dept. of Medical Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - M Sandberg
- Air Ambulance Dept., Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - M Gellerfors
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. of Clinical Science and Education, Section of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Stockholm, Sweden.,Swedish Air Ambulance (SLA), Mora, Sweden.,Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A Krüger
- Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway.,Dept. of Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Services, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - D Lockey
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.,London's Air Ambulance, Bartshealth NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - S J M Sollid
- Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.,Air Ambulance Dept., Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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11
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Disaster preparedness and response improvement: comparison of the 2010 Haiti earthquake-related diagnoses with baseline medical data. Eur J Emerg Med 2018; 24:382-388. [PMID: 26967576 PMCID: PMC5576520 DOI: 10.1097/mej.0000000000000387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Objectives Disaster medicine research generally lacks control groups. This study aims to describe categories of diagnoses encountered by the Belgian First Aid and Support Team after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and extract earthquake-related changes from comparison with comparable baseline data. The hypothesis is that besides earthquake-related trauma, medical problems emerge soon, questioning an appropriate composition of Foreign Medical Teams and Interagency Emergency Health Kits. Methods Using a descriptive cohort study design, diagnoses of patients presenting to the Belgian field hospital were prospectively registered during 4 weeks after the earthquake and compared with those recorded similarly by Médecins Sans Frontières in the same area and time span in previous and later years. Results Of 7000 triaged postearthquake patients, 3500 were admitted, of whom 2795 were included and analysed. In the fortnight after the earthquake, 90% suffered from injury. In the following fortnight, medical diseases emerged, particularly respiratory (23%) and digestive (14%). More than 53% developed infections within 3 weeks after the event. Médecins Sans Frontières registered 6407 patients in 2009; 6033 in 2011; and 7300 in 2012. A comparison indicates that postearthquake patients suffered significantly less from violence, but more from wounds, respiratory, digestive and ophthalmological diseases. Conclusion This is the first comparison of postearthquake diagnoses with baseline data. Within 2 weeks after the acute phase of an earthquake, respiratory, digestive and ophthalmological problems will emerge to the prejudice of trauma. This fact should be anticipated when composing Foreign Medical Teams and Interagency Emergency Health Kits to be sent to the disaster site.
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van Berlaer G, Elsafti AM, Al Safadi M, Souhil Saeed S, Buyl R, Debacker M, Redwan A, Hubloue I. Diagnoses, infections and injuries in Northern Syrian children during the civil war: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182770. [PMID: 28886038 PMCID: PMC5590741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The civil war in Syria including the deliberate targeting of healthcare services resulted in a complex humanitarian emergency, seriously affecting children's health. The objectives of this study are to document diagnoses and disease categories in Northern Syrian children after four years of conflict, and to document infectious diseases and injuries in this vulnerable population. METHODS In a prospective cross-sectional observational sample study conducted in May 2015, healthcare workers registered demographics, comorbidities, and diagnoses (categorised according to the International Classification of Diseases version 10) in children visited at home and in internally displaced persons camps in four Syrian governorates. RESULTS Of 1080 filled-out records, 1002 were included. Children originated from Aleppo (41%), Idleb (36%), Hamah (15%) and Lattakia (8%). Median age was 6 years (0-15; IQR 3-11), 61% were boys, 40% were younger than 5 years old. Children suffered from respiratory (29%), neurological (19%), digestive (17%), eye (5%) and skin (5%) diseases. Clinical malnutrition was seen in 4%, accidental injury in 3%, intentional injury in 1%, and mental disorders in 2%. Overall, 64% had features of infectious diseases (OR 0.635; CI 0.605-0.665). Most common comorbidities were chronic respiratory diseases (14, malnutrition (5%), acute flaccid paralysis (5%), and epilepsy (4%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the risk for children to have communicable diseases was higher in Aleppo than in Idleb (OR 1.7; CI 1.2-2.3), Hamah (OR 4.9; CI 3.3-7.5), or Lattakia (OR 5.5; CI 3.3-9.3). Children in Aleppo and Lattakia were more at risk to be injured than in Idleb (OR 5.6; CI 2.1-14.3), or in Hamah (OR 5.9; CI 1.4-25.6), but more often from intentional violence in Lattakia. Mental problems were more prominent in Hamah. CONCLUSIONS Four years far in the conflict, 64% of the studied children in four Northern Syrian governorates suffer from infections, mostly from respiratory, neurological and digestive origin, while 4% was injured or victim of intentional aggression. Substandard living conditions and the lack of paediatric healthcare put Syrian children at risk for serious infections, epidemics and morbidity, and ask for urgent international humanitarian relief efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerlant van Berlaer
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Mohammad Al Safadi
- Qatar Red Crescent, Medical Office for Turkey and Syria, Turkey Mission, Doha, Qatar
| | - Saad Souhil Saeed
- Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ronald Buyl
- Department of Public Health, Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michel Debacker
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Atef Redwan
- Department of Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Ives Hubloue
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Lampi M, Junker J, Berggren P, Jonson CO, Vikström T. Pre-hospital triage performance after standardized trauma courses. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2017; 25:53. [PMID: 28526053 PMCID: PMC5438497 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-017-0395-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pre-hospital triage process aims at identifying and prioritizing patients in the need of prompt intervention and/or evacuation. The objective of the present study was to evaluate triage decision skills in a Mass Casualty Incident drill. The study compares two groups of participants in Advanced Trauma Life Support and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support courses. METHODS A questionnaire was used to deal with three components of triage of victims in a Mass Casualty Incident: decision-making; prioritization of 15 hypothetical casualties involved in a bus crash; and prioritization for evacuation. Swedish Advanced Trauma Life Support and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support course participants filled in the same triage skills questionnaire just before and after their respective course. RESULTS One hundred fifty-three advanced Trauma Life Support course participants were compared to 175 Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support course participants. The response rates were 90% and 95%, respectively. A significant improvement was found between pre-test and post-test for the Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support group in regards to decision-making. This difference was only noticeable among the participants who had previously participated in Mass Casualty Incident drills or had experience of a real event (pre-test mean ± standard deviation 2.4 ± 0.68, post-test mean ± standard deviation 2.60 ± 0.59, P = 0.04). No improvement was found between pre-test and post-test for either group regarding prioritization of the bus crash casualties or the correct identification of the most injured patients for immediate evacuation. CONCLUSIONS Neither Advanced Trauma Life Support nor Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support participants showed general improvement in their tested triage skills. However, participation in Mass Casualty Incident drills or experience of real events prior to the test performed here, were shown to be advantageous for Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support participants. These courses should be modified in order to assure proper training in triage skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lampi
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Johan Junker
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Peter Berggren
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Carl-Oscar Jonson
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Tore Vikström
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden
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Abstract
Introduction Triage is the systematic prioritization of casualties when there is an imbalance between the needs of these casualties and resource availability. The triage sieve is a recognized process for prioritizing casualties for treatment during mass-casualty incidents (MCIs). While the application of a triage sieve generally is well-accepted, the measurement of its accuracy has been somewhat limited. Obtaining reliable measures for triage sieve accuracy rates is viewed as a necessity for future development in this area. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to investigate how theoretical knowledge acquisition and the practical application of an aide-memoir impacted triage sieve accuracy rates. METHOD Two hundred and ninety-two paramedics were allocated randomly to one of four separate sub-groups, a non-intervention control group, and three intervention groups, which involved them receiving either an educational review session and/or an aide-memoir. Participants were asked to triage sieve 20 casualties using a previously trialed questionnaire. RESULTS The study showed the non-intervention control group had a correct accuracy rate of 47%, a similar proportion of casualties found to be under-triaged (37%), but a significantly lower number of casualties were over-triaged (16%). The provision of either an educational review or aide-memoir significantly increased the correct triage sieve accuracy rate to 77% and 90%, respectively. Participants who received both the educational review and aide-memoir had an overall accuracy rate of 89%. Over-triaged rates were found not to differ significantly across any of the study groups. CONCLUSION This study supports the use of an aide-memoir for maximizing MCI triage accuracy rates. A "just-in-time" educational refresher provided comparable benefits, however its practical application to the MCI setting has significant operational limitations. In addition, this study provides some guidance on triage sieve accuracy rate measures that can be applied to define acceptable performance of a triage sieve during a MCI. Cuttance G , Dansie K , Rayner T . Paramedic application of a triage sieve: a paper-based exercise. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):3-13.
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Debacker M, Van Utterbeeck F, Ullrich C, Dhondt E, Hubloue I. SIMEDIS: a Discrete-Event Simulation Model for Testing Responses to Mass Casualty Incidents. J Med Syst 2016; 40:273. [PMID: 27757716 PMCID: PMC5069323 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-016-0633-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
It is recognized that the study of the disaster medical response (DMR) is a relatively new field. To date, there is no evidence-based literature that clearly defines the best medical response principles, concepts, structures and processes in a disaster setting. Much of what is known about the DMR results from descriptive studies and expert opinion. No experimental studies regarding the effects of DMR interventions on the health outcomes of disaster survivors have been carried out. Traditional analytic methods cannot fully capture the flow of disaster victims through a complex disaster medical response system (DMRS). Computer modelling and simulation enable to study and test operational assumptions in a virtual but controlled experimental environment. The SIMEDIS (Simulation for the assessment and optimization of medical disaster management) simulation model consists of 3 interacting components: the victim creation model, the victim monitoring model where the health state of each victim is monitored and adapted to the evolving clinical conditions of the victims, and the medical response model, where the victims interact with the environment and the resources at the disposal of the healthcare responders. Since the main aim of the DMR is to minimize as much as possible the mortality and morbidity of the survivors, we designed a victim-centred model in which the casualties pass through the different components and processes of a DMRS. The specificity of the SIMEDIS simulation model is the fact that the victim entities evolve in parallel through both the victim monitoring model and the medical response model. The interaction between both models is ensured through a time or medical intervention trigger. At each service point, a triage is performed together with a decision on the disposition of the victims regarding treatment and/or evacuation based on a priority code assigned to the victim and on the availability of resources at the service point. The aim of the case study is to implement the SIMEDIS model to the DMRS of an international airport and to test the medical response plan to an airplane crash simulation at the airport. In order to identify good response options, the model then was used to study the effect of a number of interventional factors on the performance of the DMRS. Our study reflects the potential of SIMEDIS to model complex systems, to test different aspects of DMR, and to be used as a tool in experimental research that might make a substantial contribution to provide the evidence base for the effectiveness and efficiency of disaster medical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Debacker
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
| | | | | | - Erwin Dhondt
- COMOPSMED/B Spec Sp, Medical Component, Belgian Armed Forces, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ives Hubloue
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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van Berlaer G, Bohle Carbonell F, Manantsoa S, de Béthune X, Buyl R, Debacker M, Hubloue I. A refugee camp in the centre of Europe: clinical characteristics of asylum seekers arriving in Brussels. BMJ Open 2016; 6:e013963. [PMID: 27884856 PMCID: PMC5168497 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the summer of 2015, the exodus of Syrian war refugees and saturation of refugee camps in neighbouring countries led to the influx of asylum-seekers in European countries, including Belgium. This study aims to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of asylum seekers who arrived in a huddled refugee camp, in the centre of a well-developed country with all medical facilities. METHODS Using a descriptive cross-sectional study design, physicians of Médecins du Monde prospectively registered age, gender, origin, medical symptoms and diagnoses of all patients presenting to an erected field hospital in Brussels in September 2015. Diagnoses were post hoc categorised according to the International Classification of Diseases. RESULTS Of 4037 patients examined in the field hospital, 3907 were included and analysed for this study. Over 11% of patients suffered from injuries, but these were outnumbered by the proportion of patients with respiratory (36%), dental (9%), skin (9%) and digestive (8%) diagnoses. More than 49% had features of infections at the time of the consultation. CONCLUSIONS Asylum seekers arriving in a refugee camp in Brussels after a long and hazardous journey suffer mostly from respiratory, dental, skin and digestive diseases. Still, one in seven suffers from injury. These findings, consistent with other reports, should be anticipated when composing emergency medical teams and interagency emergency health or similar kits to be used in a field hospital, even in a Western European country. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ISRCTN13523620, Results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerlant van Berlaer
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Francisca Bohle Carbonell
- Medical Department, Operations Department, Médecins du Monde/Doctors of the World Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofie Manantsoa
- Medical Department, Operations Department, Médecins du Monde/Doctors of the World Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Xavier de Béthune
- Medical Department, Operations Department, Médecins du Monde/Doctors of the World Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ronald Buyl
- Department of Public Health, Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michel Debacker
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ives Hubloue
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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High-Amplitude Atlantic Hurricanes Produce Disparate Mortality in Small, Low-Income Countries. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2016; 10:832-837. [PMID: 27572097 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2016.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hurricanes cause substantial mortality, especially in developing nations, and climate science predicts that powerful hurricanes will increase in frequency during the coming decades. This study examined the association of wind speed and national economic conditions with mortality in a large sample of hurricane events in small countries. METHODS Economic, meteorological, and fatality data for 149 hurricane events in 16 nations between 1958 and 2011 were analyzed. Mortality rate was modeled with negative binomial regression implemented by generalized estimating equations to account for variable population exposure, sequence of storm events, exposure of multiple islands to the same storm, and nonlinear associations. RESULTS Low-amplitude storms caused little mortality regardless of economic status. Among high-amplitude storms (Saffir-Simpson category 4 or 5), expected mortality rate was 0.72 deaths per 100,000 people (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-1.28) for nations in the highest tertile of per capita gross domestic product (GDP) compared with 25.93 deaths per 100,000 people (95% CI: 13.30-38.55) for nations with low per capita GDP. CONCLUSIONS Lower per capita GDP and higher wind speeds were associated with greater mortality rates in small countries. Excessive fatalities occurred when powerful storms struck resource-poor nations. Predictions of increasing storm amplitude over time suggest increasing disparity between death rates unless steps are taken to modify the risk profiles of poor nations. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:832-837).
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Evaluation of Disaster Preparedness Based on Simulation Exercises: A Comparison of Two Models. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2016; 10:544-8. [PMID: 26841703 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2015.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to highlight 2 models, the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) and the Disaster Management Indicator model (DiMI), for evaluating the in-hospital management of a disaster situation through simulation exercises. METHODS Two disaster exercises, A and B, with similar scenarios were performed. Both exercises were evaluated with regard to actions, processes, and structures. After the exercises, the results were calculated and compared. RESULTS In exercise A the HICS model indicated that 32% of the required positions for the immediate phase were taken under consideration with an average performance of 70%. For exercise B, the corresponding scores were 42% and 68%, respectively. According to the DiMI model, the results for exercise A were a score of 68% for management processes and 63% for management structure (staff skills). In B the results were 77% and 86%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Both models demonstrated acceptable results in relation to previous studies. More research in this area is needed to validate which of these methods best evaluates disaster preparedness based on simulation exercises or whether the methods are complementary and should therefore be used together. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:544-548).
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Nilsson A, Åslund K, Lampi M, Nilsson H, Jonson CO. Improved and sustained triage skills in firemen after a short training intervention. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2015; 23:81. [PMID: 26481218 PMCID: PMC4617480 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-015-0162-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A previous study has shown no measurable improvement in triage accuracy among physicians attending the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course and suggests a curriculum revision regarding triage. Other studies have indicated that cooperative learning helps students acquire knowledge. Objective The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of trauma cards in triage training for firemen. Methods Eighty-six firemen were randomly assigned into two groups: the trauma card group and the direct instruction group. Both groups received the same 30-min PowerPoint lecture on how to perform triage according to the Sort Assess Lifesaving interventions Treatment and transport (SALT) Mass Casualty Triage Algorithm. In the trauma card group, the participants were divided into groups of 3–5 and instructed to triage 10 trauma victims according to the descriptions on the trauma cards. In the direct instruction group, written forms about the same 10 victims were used and discussed as a continuation of the PowerPoint lecture. Total training time was 60 min for both groups. A test was distributed before and after the educational intervention to measure the individual triage skills. The same test was applied again 6 months later. Results There was a significant improvement in triage skills directly after the intervention and this was sustained 6 months later. No significant difference in triage skills was seen between the trauma card group and the direct instruction group. Previous experience of multi-casualty incidents, years in service, level of education or age did not have any measurable effects on triage accuracy. Conclusions One hour of triage training with the SALT Mass Casualty Triage Algorithm was enough to significantly improve triage accuracy in both groups of firemen with sustained skills 6 months later. Further studies on the first assessment on scene versus patient outcome are necessary to provide evidence that this training can improve casualty outcome. The efficacy and validity of trauma cards for disaster management training need to be tested in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Nilsson
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Kristian Åslund
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Maria Lampi
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Helene Nilsson
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Carl-Oscar Jonson
- Centre for Teaching & Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
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Shen WF, Jiang LB, Jiang GY, Zhang M, Ma YF, He XJ. Development of the science of mass casualty incident management: reflection on the medical response to the Wenchuan earthquake and Hangzhou bus fire. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2015; 15:1072-80. [PMID: 25471837 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b1400225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In this paper, we review the previous classic research paradigms of a mass casualty incident (MCI) systematically and reflect the medical response to the Wenchuan earthquake and Hangzhou bus fire, in order to outline and develop an improved research paradigm for MCI management. METHODS We searched PubMed, EMBASE, China Wanfang, and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases for relevant studies. The following key words and medical subject headings were used: 'mass casualty incident', 'MCI', 'research method', 'Wenchuan', 'earthquake', 'research paradigm', 'science of surge', 'surge', 'surge capacity', and 'vulnerability'. Searches were performed without year or language restriction. After searching the four literature databases using the above listed key words and medical subject headings, related articles containing research paradigms of MCI, 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, July 5 bus fire, and science of surge and vulnerability were independently included by two authors. RESULTS The current progresses on MCI management include new golden hour, damage control philosophy, chain of survival, and three links theory. In addition, there are three evaluation methods (medical severity index (MSI), potential injury creating event (PICE) classification, and disaster severity scale (DSS)), which can dynamically assess the MCI situations and decisions for MCI responses and can be made based on the results of such evaluations. However, the three methods only offer a retrospective evaluation of MCI and thus fail to develop a real-time assessment of MCI responses. Therefore, they cannot be used as practical guidance for decision-making during MCI. Although the theory of surge science has made great improvements, we found that a very important factor has been ignored-vulnerability, based on reflecting on the MCI response to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and July 5 bus fire in Hangzhou. CONCLUSIONS This new paradigm breaks through the limitation of traditional research paradigms and will contribute to the development of a methodology for disaster research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-feng Shen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China
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Indoor fire in a nursing home: evaluation of the medical response to a mass casualty incident based on a standardized protocol. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 2014; 41:167-78. [DOI: 10.1007/s00068-014-0446-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Thompson J, Rehn M, Lossius HM, Lockey D. Risks to emergency medical responders at terrorist incidents: a narrative review of the medical literature. CRITICAL CARE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CRITICAL CARE FORUM 2014; 18:521. [PMID: 25323086 PMCID: PMC4422304 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-014-0521-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
As the threat of international terrorism rises, there is an increasing requirement to provide evidence-based information and training for the emergency personnel who will respond to terrorist incidents. Current major incident training advises that emergency responders prioritize their own personal safety above that of the 'scene and survivors'. However, there is limited information available on the nature of these threats and how they may be accurately evaluated. This study reviews the published medical literature to identify the hazards experienced by emergency responders who have attended previous terrorist incidents. A PubMed literature search identified 10,894 articles on the subject of 'terrorism', and there was a dramatic increase in publications after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. There is heterogeneity in the focus and quality of this literature, and 307 articles addressing the subject of scene safety were assessed for information regarding the threats encountered at terrorist incidents. These articles demonstrate that emergency responders have been exposed to both direct terrorist threats and environmental scene hazards, including airborne particles, structural collapse, fire, and psychological stress. The emphasis of training and preparedness for terrorist incidents has been primarily on the direct threats, but the published literature suggests that the dominant causes of mortality and morbidity in responders after such incidents are the indirect environmental hazards. If the medical response to terrorist incidents is to be based on evidence rather than anecdote, analysis of the current literature should be incorporated into major incident training, and consistent collection of key data from future incidents is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Thompson
- London's Air Ambulance, The Helipad, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel, London, E1 1BB, UK.
| | - Marius Rehn
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Holterveien 24, 1448, Drøbak, Norway. .,Field of Pre-hospital Critical Care, Network of Medical Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjel Aarholmsgate 41, 4036, Stavanger, Norway.
| | - Hans Morten Lossius
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Holterveien 24, 1448, Drøbak, Norway. .,Field of Pre-hospital Critical Care, Network of Medical Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjel Aarholmsgate 41, 4036, Stavanger, Norway.
| | - David Lockey
- London's Air Ambulance, The Helipad, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel, London, E1 1BB, UK. .,School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, 69 St Michael's Hill, Bristol, BS2 8DZ, UK.
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Khan Y, Schwartz B, Johnson I. Surveillance and epidemiology in natural disasters: a novel framework and assessment of reliability. PLOS CURRENTS 2014; 6. [PMID: 24524006 PMCID: PMC3919830 DOI: 10.1371/currents.dis.6773eb9d5e64b733ab490f78de346003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To create a framework and methodology for organizing relevant disaster epidemiology literature. The target audience for the framework is local public health practitioners conducting emergency surveillance in the setting of preparedness or response to natural disasters. METHODS The approach to developing the framework involved utilizing the public health and emergency management literature. It was created along four axes. The first was the type of natural disaster; second was according to phase of disaster cycle; third was the impact of the disaster (health, infrastructure, economic); and fourth was related to the main outcome of the study (ie. injuries or infectious diseases). A literature review was conducted and subsequently the current literature was utilized to perform a reliability test of the established framework, using two independent reviewers. RESULTS Using existing disaster classification systems and risk analysis tools, a framework was developed along the four axes. The final literature search resulted in 85 articles on surveillance in natural disaster settings. The majority of studies are on the subject of hurricanes with a catastrophic impact rating. The phase of testing reliability of the framework resulted in percent agreement of 74%. CONCLUSIONS A reliable framework was developed that enables local public health practitioners to easily access appropriate and previously utilized surveillance methods for a natural disaster emergency. This framework contributes to an evidence-informed approach to surveillance in natural disasters with public health impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Khan
- Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian Schwartz
- Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ian Johnson
- Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Fattah S, Rehn M, Lockey D, Thompson J, Lossius HM, Wisborg T. A consensus based template for reporting of pre-hospital major incident medical management. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2014; 22:5. [PMID: 24517242 PMCID: PMC3922248 DOI: 10.1186/1757-7241-22-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 12/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structured reporting of major incidents has been advocated to improve the care provided at future incidents. A systematic review identified ten existing templates for reporting major incident medical management, but these templates are not in widespread use. We aimed to address this challenge by designing an open access template for uniform reporting of data from pre-hospital major incident medical management that will be tested for feasibility. METHODS An expert group of thirteen European major incident practitioners, planners or academics participated in a four stage modified nominal group technique consensus process to design a novel reporting template. Initially, each expert proposed 30 variables. Secondly, these proposals were combined and each expert prioritized 45 variables from the total of 270. Thirdly, the expert group met in Norway to develop the template. Lastly, revisions to the final template were agreed via e-mail. RESULTS The consensus process resulted in a template consisting of 48 variables divided into six categories; pre-incident data, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) background, incident characteristics, EMS response, patient characteristics and key lessons. CONCLUSIONS The expert group reached consensus on a set of key variables to report the medical management of pre-hospital major incidents and developed a novel reporting template. The template will be freely available for downloading and reporting on http://www.majorincidentreporting.org. This is the first global open access database for pre-hospital major incident reporting. The use of a uniform dataset will allow comparative analysis and has potential to identify areas of improvement for future responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Fattah
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Anaesthesia and Critical Care Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Marius Rehn
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Field of Pre-hospital Critical Care, Network of Medical Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - David Lockey
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- London’s Air Ambulance, The Helipad, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London, UK
| | - Julian Thompson
- London’s Air Ambulance, The Helipad, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London, UK
| | - Hans Morten Lossius
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Field of Pre-hospital Critical Care, Network of Medical Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Torben Wisborg
- Anaesthesia and Critical Care Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hammerfest Hospital, Finnmark Health Trust, Hammerfest, Norway
- Norwegian Trauma Competency Service, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Evidence Aid Priority Setting Group EAPSG. Prioritization of themes and research questions for health outcomes in natural disasters, humanitarian crises or other major healthcare emergencies. PLOS CURRENTS 2013; 5:ecurrents.dis.c9c4f4db9887633409182d2864b20c31. [PMID: 24162731 PMCID: PMC3805831 DOI: 10.1371/currents.dis.c9c4f4db9887633409182d2864b20c31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
People making decisions about interventions, actions and strategies for natural disasters, humanitarian crises and other major healthcare emergencies need access to reliable evidence to help ensure that the choices they make are likely to do more good than harm. However, there are many gaps in this evidence base in a wide range of areas. This paper reports a priority setting exercise that was coordinated by Evidence Aid to identify thirty priorities for up-to-date systematic reviews of the effects of interventions, actions and strategies on health outcomes, which would be particularly relevant to those involved in disaster risk reduction, planning response and recovery at an international level. It builds from an ongoing needs assessment that had identified a couple of hundred relevant research questions, which were grouped under 43 themes. Ten of these themes were prioritized by an online survey and the questions attached to these themes were then discussed at a face-to-face meeting, leading to the generation of a list of 30 top priority questions which is presented in this paper. We recognize that a different group of people might have come to different priorities but regard this as an important starting point, and the extensive efforts that were made to be inclusive in gathering opinions should help ensure their wide relevance.
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Rådestad M, Jirwe M, Castrén M, Svensson L, Gryth D, Rüter A. Essential key indicators for disaster medical response suggested to be included in a national uniform protocol for documentation of major incidents: a Delphi study. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2013; 21:68. [PMID: 24025366 PMCID: PMC3848492 DOI: 10.1186/1757-7241-21-68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Registration of data from a major incident or disaster serves several purposes such as to record data for evaluation of response as well as for research. Data needed can often be retrieved after an incident while other must be recorded during the incident. There is a need for a consensus on what is essential to record from a disaster response. The aim of this study was to identify key indicators essential for initial disaster medical response registration. By this is meant nationally accepted processes involved, from the time of the emergency call to the emergency medical communication centre until medical care is provided at the emergency department. Methods A three round Delphi study was conducted. Thirty experts with a broad knowledge in disaster and emergency response and medical management were invited. In this study we estimated 30 experts to be approximately one third of the number in Sweden eligible for recruitment. Process, structure and outcome indicators for the initial disaster medical response were identified. These were based on previous research and expressed as statements and were grouped into eight categories, and presented to the panel of experts. The experts were instructed to score each statement, using a five point Likert scale, and were also invited to include additional statements. Statements reaching a predefined consensus level of 80% were considered as essential to register. Results In total 97 statements were generated, 77 statements reached consensus. The 77 statements covered parts of all relevant aspects involved in the initial disaster medical response. The 20 indicators that did not reach consensus mostly concerned patient related times in hospital, types of support systems and security for health care staff. Conclusions The Delphi technique can be used for reaching consensus of data, comprising process, structure and outcome indicators, identified as essential for recording from major incidents and disasters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Rådestad
- Department of Clinical Science and Education and Section of Emergency Medicine, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Fattah S, Rehn M, Reierth E, Wisborg T. Systematic literature review of templates for reporting prehospital major incident medical management. BMJ Open 2013; 3:bmjopen-2013-002658. [PMID: 23906946 PMCID: PMC3733314 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify and describe the content of templates for reporting prehospital major incident medical management. DESIGN Systematic literature review according to PRISMA guidelines. DATA SOURCES PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Knowledge. Grey literature was also searched. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTED STUDIES Templates published after 1 January 1990 and up to 19 March 2012. Non-English language literature, except Scandinavian; literature without an available abstract; and literature reporting only psychological aspects were excluded. RESULTS The main database search identified 8497 articles, among which 8389 were excluded based on title and abstract. An additional 96 were excluded based on the full-text. The remaining 12 articles were included in the analysis. A total of 107 articles were identified in the grey literature and excluded. The reference lists for the included articles identified five additional articles. A relevant article published after completing the search was also included. In the 18 articles included in the study, 10 different templates or sets of data are described: 2 methodologies for assessing major incident responses, 3 templates intended for reporting from exercises, 2 guidelines for reporting in medical journals, 2 analyses of previous disasters and 1 Utstein-style template. CONCLUSIONS More than one template exists for generating reports. The limitations of the existing templates involve internal and external validity, and none of them have been tested for feasibility in real-life incidents. TRIAL REGISTRATION The review is registered in PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42012002051).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Fattah
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Anaesthesia and Critical Care Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Marius Rehn
- Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
- Network of Medical Sciences, Field of Pre-hospital Critical Care, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Eirik Reierth
- Science and Health Library, University Library of Tromsø, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Torben Wisborg
- Anaesthesia and Critical Care Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hammerfest Hospital, Finnmark Health Trust, Hammerfest, Norway
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Timbie JW, Ringel JS, Fox DS, Pillemer F, Waxman DA, Moore M, Hansen CK, Knebel AR, Ricciardi R, Kellermann AL. Systematic review of strategies to manage and allocate scarce resources during mass casualty events. Ann Emerg Med 2013; 61:677-689.e101. [PMID: 23522610 PMCID: PMC6997611 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2013.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2012] [Revised: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE Efficient management and allocation of scarce medical resources can improve outcomes for victims of mass casualty events. However, the effectiveness of specific strategies has never been systematically reviewed. We analyze published evidence on strategies to optimize the management and allocation of scarce resources across a wide range of mass casualty event contexts and study designs. METHODS Our literature search included MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Global Health, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, from 1990 through late 2011. We also searched the gray literature, using the New York Academy of Medicine's Grey Literature Report and key Web sites. We included both English- and foreign-language articles. We included studies that evaluated strategies used in actual mass casualty events or tested through drills, exercises, or computer simulations. We excluded studies that lacked a comparison group or did not report quantitative outcomes. Data extraction, quality assessment, and strength of evidence ratings were conducted by a single researcher and reviewed by a second; discrepancies were reconciled by the 2 reviewers. Because of heterogeneity in outcome measures, we qualitatively synthesized findings within categories of strategies. RESULTS From 5,716 potentially relevant citations, 74 studies met inclusion criteria. Strategies included reducing demand for health care services (18 studies), optimizing use of existing resources (50), augmenting existing resources (5), implementing crisis standards of care (5), and multiple categories (4). The evidence was sufficient to form conclusions on 2 strategies, although the strength of evidence was rated as low. First, as a strategy to reduce demand for health care services, points of dispensing can be used to efficiently distribute biological countermeasures after a bioterrorism attack or influenza pandemic, and their organization influences speed of distribution. Second, as a strategy to optimize use of existing resources, commonly used field triage systems do not perform consistently during actual mass casualty events. The number of high-quality studies addressing other strategies was insufficient to support conclusions about their effectiveness because of differences in study context, comparison groups, and outcome measures. Our literature search may have missed key resource management and allocation strategies because of their extreme heterogeneity. Interrater reliability was not assessed for quality assessments or strength of evidence ratings. Publication bias is likely, given the large number of studies reporting positive findings. CONCLUSION The current evidence base is inadequate to inform providers and policymakers about the most effective strategies for managing or allocating scarce resources during mass casualty events. Consensus on methodological standards that encompass a range of study designs is needed to guide future research and strengthen the evidence base. Evidentiary standards should be developed to promote consensus interpretations of the evidence supporting individual strategies.
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Alexander D, Magni M. Mortality in the l'aquila (central Italy) earthquake of 6 april 2009. PLOS CURRENTS 2013; 5:e50585b8e6efd1. [PMID: 23326762 PMCID: PMC3541886 DOI: 10.1371/50585b8e6efd1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents the results of an analysis of data on mortality in the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck the central Italian city and province of L'Aquila during the night of 6 April 2009. The aim is to create a profile of the deaths in terms of age, gender, location, behaviour during the tremors, and other aspects. This could help predict the pattern of casualties and priorities for protection in future earthquakes. To establish a basis for analysis, the literature on seismic mortality is surveyed. The conclusions of previous studies are synthesised regarding patterns of mortality, entrapment, survival times, self-protective behaviour, gender and age. These factors are investigated for the data set covering the 308 fatalities in the L'Aquila earthquake, with help from interview data on behavioural factors obtained from 250 survivors. In this data set, there is a strong bias towards victimisation of young people, the elderly and women. Part of this can be explained by geographical factors regarding building performance: the rest of the explanation refers to the vulnerability of the elderly and the relationship between perception and action among female victims, who tend to be more fatalistic than men and thus did not abandon their homes between a major foreshock and the main shock of the earthquake, three hours later. In terms of casualties, earthquakes commonly discriminate against the elderly and women. Age and gender biases need further investigation and should be taken into account in seismic mitigation initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Alexander
- Institute for Risk and Disaster Management, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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The Utstein-Style Template for Uniform Data Reporting of Acute Medical Response in Disasters. Prehosp Disaster Med 2012; 27:219. [DOI: 10.1017/s1049023x12000817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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