Riesgos de desastre y derechos de la niñez en Centroamérica y el Caribe

Dentro del sector pobre de la población, todavía no está suficientemente reconocido el hecho de que son las mujeres y los niños los que tienden a presentar un mayor grado de vulnerabilidad en situaciones de desastre y, por tanto, son los más afectados. Este documento pretende contribuir a delimitar conceptualmente los enfoques vigentes sobre la problemática de los desastres y, a partir de ello, aportar al desarrollo de una aproximación que tenga como centro de atención principal a los más vulnerables, entre ellos, las mujeres y los niños

Chapter 3 : Understanding the psychosocial impact of disaster

Involvement in a disaster is a life-altering, whether one is a survivor, a bereaved family member, a neighbor, or a helper. Although we know that individuals closest to a disaster will be most affected, information about the type and scope of the disaster can enhance estimates of the intensity and duration of the psychosocial resources that will be needed to assist all those who will be affected by it. Resistance to psychosocial intervention, however, is such a common reaction among disaster survivors, that mental health services must be made available and easily accessible to those at greatest risk, by taking services out to survivors and the bereaved. It is importante for all helpers to know thet there is a range of emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and sensations that are normal reactions to a disaster, however, and should not be "pathologized". Outreach provided by well-trained menatl health workers is especially crucial for our most vulnerable populations, and in particular, for our most valuable resource-America's children. First responders and the other helpers also need to take special precautionsto mitigate the psychological impact of disaster, as secondary traumatization is an ever-present hazard of disaster response. The rituals of normal grief and mourning can help individuals and communicaties daw upon the strengths of the group to promove healing and eventual resolution (AU)

Needs assessment of the displaced population following the August 1999 earthquake in Turkey

In Augusto 1999 a major earthquake struck north-western Turkey. An assessmento followed to identify the immediate needs of the displaced population. A random cluster sample of displaced families living in temporary shelter outside of organised relief camps was designed. Representatives of 230 households form the four communities worse affected by the earthquake were interviewed. Most families lived in makeshift shelters (84 per cent), used bottled water (90 per cent), obtained food form relief organisations (53 per cent) and obtanined information by word of mouth (81 per cent). Many respondents reported having family members who were over the age of 65 (32 per cent) or under age three (20 per cent), who were pregnand (6 per cent), or who had been ill since the earthquake (64 per cent). The greatest immediate need reported by most families was shelter requirements (37 per cent), followed by food (23 per cent) and hygiene requirements (19 per cent). Ten days after the earthquake, basic environmental health needs of food, shelter and hygiene still predominated in this displaced population. Significant portions may have special needs due to age or illness. (AU)

Atención psicología a la población afectada por el Mitch / Psuchological Support to the Victims of Hurricane Mitch

Presenta el trabajo de campo compuesto por las ponencias presentadas durante la Conferencia de Salud Mental en Desastres que se llevó a cabo el 30 de noviembre de 1999. Quintana presenta la gestión de ASPROSIC con psico títeres. Su tesis es que a través de títeres los niños y niñas pueden expresar sus sentimientos en un ambiente menos amenazador para ellos. Concluye la ponencia sugiriendo que este método terapéutico puede ayudar aquellos que han sido afectados por los desastres

Desafíos a la recuperación emocional de la población afectada por desastres / Challenges in the Emotional Recovery of Disaster victims

Trabajo realizado en Estelí, Chinandega y Matagalpa. El trabajo consiste en identificar los efectos de el desastre después del desastre. El trabajo consistió en ayudar a los miembros de la comunidad a redefinir su identidad y sentido de la pertenencia después del Huracán Mitch. Concluye el trabajo con la identificación de las variables que enaltecen la presencia de problemas emocionales en la población estudiada

Victimization after a natural disaster : Social disorganization or community cohesion?

The data were collected from three independent community samples, beginning seven months after the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake and following in one year intervals for the two subsequent samples. Exposure to traumatic stress (Norris 1990)-including criminal victimization-in the 12 months prior to the interview was assessed in each sample. For all traumatic stress/victimization and for each of seven individual events, rates remain flat over time (3 data points), suggesting that neither social disorganization nor social cohesion occurred after the earthquake. In the first sample respondents only reporton pre-disaster events, for them post-earthquake rates of traumatic stress and victimization were compared with pre-earthquake rates. In contrast to the trend data, reduction in rates of robbery and, to a lesser extent, major life changes suggest that an altruistic community (social cohesion) may have risen. A third set of analyses show that the severity of exposure to the earthquake does not make a contribution to traumatic stress or victimization beyond that explained by the demographic variables repeatedly found to predict vulnerability to victimization. There is no indication that social disorganization follows a natural disaster, and there is minor support for the emergence of an altruistic community (AU)

Modelo de evaluación de riesgos biológicos en centros sanitarios

El Real decreto 664/1997 sobre la protección de los trabajadores contra los riesgos relacionados con la exposición a agentes biológicos surante el trabajo y cuyo ámbito de aplicación comprende actividades en las que los trabajadores están o pueden estar expuestos debido a la naturaleza de la actividad. Los criterios que proporciona la citada normativa, proponen un método para la evaluación de los riesgos relacionados con la exposición de los agentes biológicos en centros sanitarios (AU)

Migraciones en Centroamérica : Proceso Puebla - huracán Mitch : Bases para la Reflexión y propuestas de acción

Situación migratorio de Centroamerica sus repercusiones económicas, sociales y políticas. El propósito de este documento es contribuir a la discusión y reflexión del grupo de trabajo sobre migración, para avanzar en una visión compartida sobre las principales estrategias y desafíos. El documento ha sido preparado por la Oficina Regional para América Central y México de la Organización para las Migraciones, para ser presentado en la sesión del grupo de trabajo sobre migración, que tuvo lugar en el contexto de la reunión del II Grupo Consultivo para Centroamerica, en Estocolmo, Suecia, entre el 25 y 28 de mayo de 1999

Population, poverty and vulnerability : Mitigating the effects of natural disasters

Contains an analysis of the relationship between demographic dynamic and Hurricane Mitch in Central America. It focuses three aspects: How did demographic processes condition the area's vulnerability prior to Mitch? What are Mitchïs consequences for demographic dynamics in the short and long term? What changes must be introduced in demographic dynamics if the effects of future natural disasters are to be mitigated? The concluding section reflects on specific contributions that United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) could make to the mitigation of disasters in the future