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 Printable version |
Tropical cyclone-associated health problems |
Cahiers d'études et de recherches francophones / Santé . Volume 2, Number 5, 291-9, Septembre-Octobre 1992, Synthèse
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 Résumé
Article gratuit
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Author(s) : Jean-Pierre Besancenot |
Summary : Tropical cyclone-induced health hazards are not restricted to the deaths and injuries caused during the impact phase by strong winds, stormsurges, tidal waves and torrential rains that result in floods, mud-slides, landslides, etc. Extensive surveys have been carried out in various tropical countries to study the epidemiology of such disasters. In addition to a high rate of traumatic mortality and morbidity (notably electrocution), these studies have pointed to a dramatic increase in the incidence of infectious diseases (gastroenteritis, bronchitis and pneumonia, cholera, typhoid, malaria, etc.) and psychosomatic disorders. Emotional and physical distress start to increase immediately before the onset of the meteor (the precyclonic phase) and remain persistently high in the affected communities relative to control populations during the post-cyclonic phase. Disease outbreaks associated with cyclones lead to a significant increase in patient visits to hospital emergency departments for several weeks after the event. Chronic morbidity then becomes the norm. Psychiatric symptoms can be both intense and prolonged. Anxiety and depression are most common. More often than not, recovery is slow. Some retrospective studies have detected an increased incidence of neural tube defects and megaloblastic changes in sickle-cell anemia patients in the aftermath of hurricanes. Similarly, the incidence of leukemia and lymphoma has peaked about two years after a cyclone-related flood disaster. These data have implications for preparations for future cyclonic events. They point to a need for disaster research, identification of groups at risk, better forecasting and more efficient public warnings. Studies should be made of morbidity patterns during and after such occurrences. As the observed hazards depend largely on the degree of exposure, i.e. living conditions, adequate development policies are essential. A morbidity registry covering acute and chronic illness during the impact phase and a few years thereafter would greatly facilitate future research. |
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