Responding to natural disasters vs. disease outbreaks: Do emergency medical service providers have different views?

Autor: Alwidyan MT; Department of Allied Medical Science, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan., Trainor JE; Biden School of Public Policy & Administration, University of Delaware, Newark, United States., Bissell RA; Department of Emergency Health Services, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, United States.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: International journal of disaster risk reduction : IJDRR [Int J Disaster Risk Reduct] 2020 Apr; Vol. 44, pp. 101440. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Dec 07.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101440
Abstrakt: Introduction: Our planet has been experiencing a huge burden of natural disasters and public health emergencies in the last three decades. Emergency medical service providers are expected to be in the frontlines during such emergencies. Yet, this system is badly understudied when it comes to its roles and performance during disasters and public health emergencies. This study is designed to enhance understanding by assessing a sample U.S EMS providers' views about working during natural disasters and disease outbreaks and explores whether they are coming to work during such conditions.
Methods: This study utilized a qualitative approach using face-to-face interviews with EMS workers from the State of Delaware, USA. Participants were asked about their views, insights, and potential behavior of working during natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Data collected were transcribed and coded using ATLAS.ti software to develop themes of the study using an inductive approach.
Results: Three themes were emerged from interviews regarding working during natural disasters; respondents expressed excitement, concern, or no real differences. For disease outbreaks, however, the two themes were concerned and no additional risk. While participants expressed varying concerns about working during disasters and pandemic conditions, everyone felt willing and obligated to come to work despite the perceived high risk for some of them to work in some conditions.
Conclusion: This study helps to provide the base upon which EMS, public health, and emergency management agencies can formulate actions that emerged from the views of EMS providers concerning work during disasters and public health emergencies.
Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
(© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: