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. 2013 Jun 28:5:ecurrents.dis.ccdbd870f5d1697e4edee5eda12c5ae6.
doi: 10.1371/currents.dis.ccdbd870f5d1697e4edee5eda12c5ae6.

Impacts of natural hazards on primary health care facilities of iran: a 10-year retrospective survey

Ali Ardalan  1 , Hani Mowafi, Homa Yousefi Khoshsabeghe
Affiliations

Impacts of natural hazards on primary health care facilities of iran: a 10-year retrospective survey

Ali Ardalan et al. PLoS Curr. .

Abstract

Public health facilities in Iran are exposed to a wide range of natural hazards. This article presents the first survey of the impacts of such natural hazards on primary health care (PHC) centers in Iran from 2001 to 2011. A retrospective survey was conducted in 25 out of 30 provinces of Iran. Archival reports at provincial public health departments were cross-referenced with key informant interviews. During a 10-year period, 119 natural hazard events were recorded that led to physical damage and/or functional failure in 1,401 health centers, 127 deaths and injury or illness in 644 health staff. Earthquakes accounted for the most physical damage and all health-worker deaths. However, there was an increasing trend of impacts due to hydro-meteorological hazards. Iran's health system needs to establish a registry to track the impact of natural hazards on health facilities, conduct regular hazard and vulnerability assessments and increase mitigation and preparedness measures.

Keywords: Disaster, primary health care, facility, Iran, natural hazard Corresponding author: Ali Ardalan MD, PhD. Iran's National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Email: aardalan@tums.ac.ir.

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Figures

Description of respondent and non-respondent public health departments (PHD) in terms of number of primary health care (PHC) centers and natural hazard events in corresponding areas during the study period
Description of respondent and non-respondent public health departments (PHD) in terms of number of primary health care (PHC) centers and natural hazard events in corresponding areas during the study period
Provincial distribution of affected primary health care centers by natural hazards, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Provincial distribution of affected primary health care centers by natural hazards, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Occurence of natural hazards with an impact on primary health care facilities, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Occurence of natural hazards with an impact on primary health care facilities, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Number of damaged primary health care facility by natural hazards, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Number of damaged primary health care facility by natural hazards, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Severity of natural hazards impact on primary health care facilities by types of hazard and damage, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Severity of natural hazards impact on primary health care facilities by types of hazard and damage, I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Moderate and severe impacts of natural hazards on primary health care facilities: Intensive vs. extensive , I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
Moderate and severe impacts of natural hazards on primary health care facilities: Intensive vs. extensive , I.R.Iran, 2001-2011
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References

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