Existing Challenges and Opportunities for Advancing Drought and Health Research.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Drought is one of the most far-reaching natural disasters, yet drought and health research is sparse. This may be attributed to the challenge of quantifying drought exposure, something complicated by multiple drought indices without any designed for health research. The purpose of this general review is to evaluate current drought and health literature and highlight challenges or scientific considerations when performing drought exposure and health assessments. RECENT FINDINGS: The literature revealed a small, but growing, number of drought and health studies primarily emphasizing Australian, western European, and US populations. The selection of drought indices and definitions of drought are inconsistent. Rural and agricultural populations have been identified as vulnerable cohorts, particularly for mental health outcomes. Using relevant examples, we discuss the importance of characterizing drought and explore why health outcomes, populations of interest, and compound environmental hazards are crucial considerations for drought and health assessments. As climate and health research is prioritized, we propose guidance for investigators performing drought-focused analyses.

Natural disasters as a public health issue.

This paper explains why natural disasters are a public health issue. A case in point is the Masara landslide in Maco Town, the Philippines. Public health concerns are not just the physical but also the 'total well-being of persons'. Classifying natural calamities as a concern related to public health will give a sense of urgency on the matter and thereby encourage governments to act on the negative effects of climate change, especially in developing countries.

Heat-related mortality and ambulance transport after a power outage in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Background: Air conditioners can prevent heat-related illness and mortality, but the increased use of air conditioners may enhance susceptibility to heat-related illnesses during large-scale power failures. Here, we examined the risks of heat-related illness ambulance transport (HIAT) and mortality associated with typhoon-related electricity reduction (ER) in the summer months in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Methods: We conducted event study analyses to compare temperature-HIAT and mortality associations before and after the power outage (July to September 2019). To better understand the role of temperature during the power outage, we then examined whether the temperature-HIAT and mortality associations were modified by different power outage levels (0%, 10%, and 20% ER). We computed the ratios of relative risks to compare the risks associated with various ER values to the risks associated without ER. Results: We analyzed the data of 14,912 HIAT cases and 74,064 deaths. Overall, 93,200 power outage cases were observed when the typhoon hit. Event study results showed that the incidence rate ratio was 2.01 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42, 2.84) with effects enduring up to 6 days, and 1.11 (95% CI = 1.02, 1.22) for mortality on the first 3 days after the typhoon hit. Comparing 20% to 0% ER, the ratios of relative risks of heat exposure were 2.32 (95% CI = 1.41, 3.82) for HIAT and 0.95 (95% CI = 0.75, 1.22) for mortality. Conclusions: A 20% ER was associated with a two-fold greater risk of HIAT because of summer heat during the power outage, but there was little evidence for the association with all-cause mortality.

Adolescent Mental Health and Resilience Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: We aimed to assess levels of depression, anxiety, and resilience factors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a school sample of adolescents. We also aimed to examine the compensatory and protective effects of individual, family, and school resilience factors on adolescent mental health. METHODS: We used fall 2019 and fall 2020 survey responses from a cluster randomized controlled trial implemented in 20 schools in a Midwestern county. The sample consisted of 3,085 responses from students in grades 5 and 6. Multilevel mixed-effects models with cluster robust standard errors were used to investigate the associations between exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health (anxiety, depression), and resilience factors (future orientation, family engagement, and having a caring school adult). RESULTS: Anxiety, but not depression, was higher in fall 2020 compared to fall 2019. Family engagement increased during the pandemic, while future orientation of the student body was lower during that time and the prevalence of having a caring adult at school was unchanged. A positive future orientation was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression, while having a caring school adult was associated with lower depression. Adolescents with less positive future orientations, low family engagement, and no caring school adults experienced the greatest increases in anxiety. DISCUSSION: Positive future orientations, family engagement, and supportive nonparental adult relationships had compensatory and protective effects on adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding these measures to the inventory of modifiable resilience factors during natural disasters may promote healthy adaptation among adolescents.

Natural disasters, deforestation, and emissions affect economic growth in Somalia.

This study ascertains the effect of natural disasters, deforestation, and emissions on economic growth in Somalia using annual time series spanning 1990-2018. Contrary to previous attempts, this study utilized the kernel regularized least squares (KRLS) technique, robust Granger causality in the presence of instabilities, and novel supremum right-tail Augment Dickey-Fuller unit root to test explosive behaviors in data series. While two date-stamped explosive behaviors are detected in economic growth (2003-2012, 2014-2016) and FDI (2004, 2016-2018), one explosive behavior is observed in capital formation (2010-2018) and population density (2010-2018). Moreover, time-varying granger causalities among sampled variables are observed. The empirical results show natural disasters and deforestation significantly undermine economic growth, whereas GHG emissions stimulate economic growth. Besides, while GHG emissions have increasing marginal effects, natural disasters and deforestation have decreasing marginal effects. The marginal effect of the interaction between natural disasters and temperature change is close to zero, implying that temperature changes do not mediate the disaster-growth nexus. Nevertheless, the study underscores the need for the implementation of environmental and economic policy reforms related to natural disaster preparedness, eliminating deforestation for charcoal exports while implementing a paradigm shift from domestic charcoal and firewood energy consumption to clean and renewable energy.

Integrative approaches to urban resilience: Evaluating the efficacy of resilience strategies in mitigating climate change vulnerabilities.

The successful implementation of urban resilience strategies is of utmost importance in order to reduce susceptibility and bolster resilience in the face of climate change consequences. The current understanding of the efficacy of different resilience strategies in mitigating vulnerability and bolstering urban resilience is lacking, despite its significance. This study assesses the efficacy of resilience strategies in mitigating vulnerability and enhancing urban resilience. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of scholarly literature published in English following PRISMA criteria from January 2001 to July 2023. Finally, 116 articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected for in-depth analysis. Results indicate that while resilience strategies have the potential to reduce susceptibility and enhance urban resilience, the effectiveness of resilience techniques is contingent upon various factors, such as the type of hazard, urban setting, and implementation process. The study also highlights the significance of stakeholder involvement, community participation, and adaptive management as essential components for effectively implementing resilience measures. Integrating physical, social, and institutional components in resilience practices demonstrated notable effectiveness. This study also reveals that improving the physical resilience of urban areas and strengthening their social and institutional capabilities to address and learn from disruptive events and pressures can decrease their vulnerability. The research also exposes those strategies focusing solely on mitigating a single issue, such as physical infrastructure, while neglecting social or institutional elements, which prove less effective. A comprehensive approach, incorporating institutional, social, and physical measures, should be designed to achieve maximal efficacy in mitigating vulnerability and strengthening urban resilience.

Addressing land use planning: A methodology for assessing pre- and post-landslide event urban configurations.

With urban areas projected to accommodate 68 % of the global population by 2050, the imperative for inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities becomes paramount. In the timeline of urban centers, landslides represent one of the most destructive phenomena, involving several resources allocation with private and public investments, sometimes claiming human lives. By synergically connecting environmental, planning, and configurational spheres, this study seeks to support the proactive management of landslide risk. The proposed three-step methodology allowed to quantify the environmental features involved in landslide occurrence, evaluate planning framework vulnerabilities, and suggest alternative configurations for urban areas that experienced landslides. The methodology has been applied to the case study involving a tragic landslide in Casamicciola Terme (Italy) in November 2022. First, the stream network and the drainage basin corresponding to confluence point of the landslide into the sea have been calculated (environmental elaborations). Subsequently, these elaborations have been overlapped with the runoff mitigation and the sediment deposition layers, extracted through the INVEST software. Secondly, the reconnaissance of the local and superordinate planning levels has been realized, to deepen planning tools cogency on the study area, contextually deepening the constraints that characterize it. From the overlapping of these two steps, free landslide risk areas have been located. Finally, based on the available territorial surface (Sta) and the territorial cover ratio (Rct), two territorial configuration scenarios have been proposed, envisaging the relocation of the buildings involved into the landslide. Results show that landslide originated by three out of five gullies. Some portions of the urban areas of Casamicciola Terme are still under high and very high hydrogeological risk. Contextually, it emerges poor attention from the local planners to the superordinate planning framework. Historic settlement has an Rct of 33.64 %, while areas in which relocate the built up show an Rct of 32,45 % for scenario 1 and 27,9 % for scenario 2. The methodology resulted useful to address planning vulnerabilities, supporting the realization of alternative configurational scenarios. We expect our research to contribute to the evolving field of disaster risk reduction, by providing a systematic approach to manage landslide risk.

Culture of Safety and Preparedness: Benefits of Applying a Daily Mitigation Mindset in the Hospital Setting.

AIM: Utilizing the subjective experience of nurse executives who have supervised nurses during a major disaster in a hospital setting, this study aims to describe the subjective experience of nurse executives (NE) who have supervised nurses' responses to major disasters. This paper will focus on strategies to support nursing response to disasters, specifically to strengthen resiliency and the ability to maintain function despite the shock of a disaster, including those caused by climate change. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 hospital-based nurse executives who supervised nurses during some of the worst natural and human-made disasters in different regions of the United States. A phenomenological approach was used to analyze and describe emerging themes from the qualitative data. RESULTS: Three nurse executives demonstrated theme saturation for mitigation steps to augment traditional disaster readiness activities: (1) Assessment of human infrastructure: daily skills needed during disaster response; (2) Identification and study of failure points and metrics; (3) Strengthening human infrastructure: rectifying deficiencies; and (4) Monitoring metrics and making corrections during conventional periods. CONCLUSION: Mitigation steps may improve outcomes in hospital function during conventional times; therefore, these steps may improve resiliency and the ability to maintain functions during major disasters, including climate change.

School-based psychosocial and educational interventions for children and adolescents after the 1999 Marmara earthquakes in Turkey: A review on lessons learned.

The massive earthquakes experienced in August and November 1999 affected thousands of people in the Marmara region, the most densely populated and industrialized part of Turkey. The humanitarian and economic cost was so enormous, and these earthquakes have changed the Turkish disaster management system and the Turkish people's approach to disasters. Marmara earthquakes are also considered as a milestone in the provision of psychosocial services for disaster victims. This paper aims to review the psychosocial interventions targeting children, adolescents, and their families after the 1999 earthquakes in Turkey. The progression from initial responses to more organized psychosocial interventions is outlined. Conducting the interventions at schools has ensured that thousands of children, teachers, and parents are reached in the most efficient and effective way possible. The significance of the school context in designing psychosocial interventions is highlighted and implications of the lessons learned for traumatic experiences of children and parents are also explored. It is evaluated that these inferences obtained from the Marmara earthquake in Turkey can be used in disasters around the world.

Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of mental health and psychosocial support programmes following natural disasters in developing countries: A systematic review.

Climate change is leading to more frequent and intense natural disasters, with developing countries particularly at risk. However, most research concerning mental health and natural disasters is based in high-income country settings. It is critically important to provide a mental health response to such events, given the negative psychosocial impacts they elicit. The aim of this systematic review is to explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) following natural disasters in developing countries. Eight databases were searched for relevant quantitative and qualitative studies from developing countries. Only studies reporting barriers and/or facilitators to delivering MHPSS in response to natural disasters in a low- or middle-income country were included and full texts were critically appraised using the McGill University Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Reported barriers and facilitators were extracted and analysed thematically. Thirty-seven studies were included in the review, reflecting a range of natural disaster settings and developing countries. Barriers to implementing MHPSS included cultural relevance, resources for mental health, accessibility, disaster specific factors and mental health stigma. Facilitators identified included social support, cultural relevance and task-sharing approaches. A number of practical approaches can be used to facilitate the implementation of MHPSS in developing country settings. However, more research is needed on MHPSS in the developing country natural disaster context, especially in Africa, and international policies and guidelines need to be re-evaluated using a decolonial lens.

Nurses' experiences of providing medical services during the Kermanshah earthquake in Iran: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses have always been at the forefront of providing services for victims of disasters. Using nurses' experiences in disaster planning can play an important role in improving their readiness to provide healthcare during disasters. The objective of this study is not only to understand the challenges but also to explore and document the broader spectrum of experiences encountered by nurses in these critical situations. By focusing on their experiences, we aim to contribute valuable insights to enhance disaster preparedness and healthcare delivery strategies. METHODS: This qualitative study employed the content analysis method to describe the experiences of 16 earthquake relief nurses in Kermanshah, Iran. Sampling was done purposefully and continued until data saturation was achieved. Initially, two unstructured interviews were conducted to shape the interview's main line and refine guide questions. Subsequently, the study involved semi-structured interviews and observation notes for a nuanced understanding of the participants' experiences. RESULTS: In the analysis of the interviews, 920 codes were obtained and the nurses' experiences were categorized into three main categories: personal experiences, operational experiences, and social and cultural experiences. These three categories covered 12 subcategories. CONCLUSION: Results of describing nurses' experiences in the Kermanshah earthquake showed that nurses need to plan and implement necessary measures to ensure pre-disaster preparedness to respond effectively to disasters such as earthquakes. Besides, it is necessary to prepare, train and practice these interventions regularly, periodically, and purposefully. They should be evaluated and updated if they are used in a real earthquake or practice and maneuver.

The influence of natural disasters and multiple natural disasters on self-harm and suicidal behaviour: findings from a nationally representative cohort study of Australian adolescents.

Few studies have examined the relationship between exposure to natural hazards and suicide and self-harm in youth. We extend prior research by investigating the association between multiple disasters and the risks of self-harm and suicide longitudinally in a nationally representative longitudinal cohort of adolescents 14 to 15 years to 18-19 years of age. Natural disasters were identified through parental self-reports for the local area. Different types of multiple disaster exposures were investigated including compound disasters (two or more disasters occurring in the last 12 months), cascading disasters (a disaster that leads to another disaster in the subsequent wave) and consecutive disasters (multiple disasters within the last two years or over an eight-year period). Using 8,714 person-waves of data from 2,908 adolescents, findings from random effect models suggest that parental reports of fire or floods increase the risk of self-harm ideation, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Compound disasters of fire/flood and drought were also associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts. Cascading disasters of drought followed by fire/flood increased the risks of self-harm but recurrent consecutive droughts were associated with lower risks of suicidal ideation. Australian adolescents are exposed to high rates of natural disasters that increase the risk of self-harm and thoughts of self-harm and suicide. Climate change will increase risk of natural disaster exposure for all countries. Despite these increased risks, there was resilience to disaster exposure particularly in the case of recurrent drought suggesting that youth, families and communities may well develop protective strategies to support mental health.

Exploring the impact of recovery funding on the well-being and health workforce capability of rural practices during natural disasters and emergencies.

INTRODUCTION: This study examines the impact of funding provided to support the well-being of rural health practitioners and their practice staff following the 2019-2022 bushfires. OBJECTIVE: To assess the benefits and implications of grant funding for rural practices to aid recovery following bushfires in NSW, Australia. DESIGN: An explanatory sequential mixed method design consisted of a survey and a thematic analysis of semi-structured Interviews. FINDINGS: Five key themes emerged from analysis: (1) the disasters altered the role of the practice and therapeutic relationships; (2) the funding had a positive impact on access to professional development; (3) the training had a positive impact on staff well-being and resilience; (4) the professional development had a positive impact on rural practitioner's sense of capability; and (5) important elements of future grant opportunities. DISCUSSION: The findings indicate the importance of recovering funding to facilitate access to professional development for rural health practioners during natural disasters which improved their mental health and wellbeing, capability and support to clients. CONCLUSION: Recovery funding facilitated improvement in workforce capability, professional resilience, mental health and well-being in the face of natural disasters and emergencies. There was a link between training and maintaining the capability of rural health care practitioners and their practice staff. Capability was an important factor in the well-being and resilience of the health workforce and their ability to support clients.

Global Research on Natural Disasters and Human Health: a Mapping Study Using Natural Language Processing Techniques.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aimed to systematically synthesize the global evidence base for natural disasters and human health using natural language processing (NLP) techniques. RECENT FINDINGS: We searched Embase, PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Web of Science Core Collection, using titles, abstracts, and keywords, and included only literature indexed in English. NLP techniques, including text classification, topic modeling, and geoparsing methods, were used to systematically identify and map scientific literature on natural disasters and human health published between January 1, 2012, and April 3, 2022. We predicted 6105 studies in the area of natural disasters and human health. Earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis were the most frequent nature disasters; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression were the most frequently studied health outcomes; mental health services were the most common way of coping. Geographically, the evidence base was dominated by studies from high-income countries. Co-occurrence of natural disasters and psychological distress was common. Psychological distress was one of the top three most frequent topics in all continents except Africa, where infectious diseases was the most prevalent topic. Our findings demonstrated the importance and feasibility of using NLP to comprehensively map natural disasters and human health in the growing literature. The review identifies clear topics for future clinical and public health research and can provide an empirical basis for reducing the negative health effects of natural disasters.

Beyond disasters: Long-run effect of earthquakes on energy poverty in China.

While earthquakes are considered one of the most prevalent natural disasters in China, there is limited empirical evidence regarding the long-term effects of earthquakes on energy poverty. Using data from China Family Panel Studies and China's historical earthquake catalog, this study investigates the long-term effects of earthquake intensity on energy poverty among households in China, and analyzes the long-term effects over different time spans. Our findings indicate that, higher earthquake intensities have an overall worsening long-term impact on energy poverty. When segmented into different time spans, households in regions with higher earthquake intensities are less likely to fall into energy poverty over the past 20 years and the past 20 to 50 years, whereas more likely to be energy poor over the longer time span. Moreover, we uncover that public infrastructure, government assistance, and mental well-being serve as channels through which earthquakes affect household energy poverty, with divergent effects over different time spans. In addition, we observe nonlinear evidence of earthquake intensity's long-term impact on energy poverty, and the long-term impacts are heterogeneous across different regions, as well as households with different registration statuses and household fuel types. These insights can inform policy interventions aimed at alleviating long-term energy poverty in areas affected by natural disasters.

Natural disasters: a comprehensive study using EMDAT database 1995-2022.

INTRODUCTION: The frequency, intensity, and geographical reach of natural disasters, fueled in part by factors such as climate change, population growth, and urbanization, have undeniably been escalating concerns around the world. DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of natural disasters recorded in the Emergency Events Database from 1995 to 2022. RESULTS: Between 1995 and 2022, 11,360 natural disasters occurred, with a mean of 398 per year. Asia experienced the most disasters (4390) and the highest number of casualties (918,198). Hydrological disasters were the most common subgroup (4969), while geophysical disasters led in terms of deaths (770,644). Biological disasters caused the most injuries (2544), particularly in Africa. CONCLUSION: Recognizing the historical impacts of the various subtypes of natural disasters may help different regions better risk analyze and mitigate the unique risks associated with such events.

Nutritional status among earthquake survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Earthquakes, as one of the most devastating natural disasters, have many consequences, including the collapse of buildings where food is produced, stored, and distributed, which can ensue with numerous nutritional problems. This study was to investigate the nutritional status of earthquake survivors. STUDY DESIGN: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis study. METHODS: The present review was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline. The data were collected by searching the data resources of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, MagIran, and Scientific Information Database. Meta-analysis was conducted using the random effects model, and the I2 index was used to assess heterogeneity among studies. Publication bias was assessed using Begg's test. RESULTS: In this study, 342 studies were identified in the primary literature search, and after removing duplicates, 14 of which were finally selected for meta-analysis. Based on the results of the meta-analysis, the overall prevalence was obtained: 4.19% for wasting, 16.78% for stunting, 12.59% for underweight, and 28.06% for anemia after the earthquake. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that earthquake survivors are exposed to malnutrition. Therefore, it is recommended that adequate food and nutritional supplements are provided to all earthquake survivors.

The Climate Crisis and Breastfeeding: Opportunities for Resilience.

The climate crisis is an emerging global challenge that poses potential risks to breastfeeding practices and outcomes. There are multifaceted effects of climate change affecting the breastfeeding dyad across environmental, societal, and human health dimensions. Breastfeeding support in the face of climate change will require solutions at the structural level-healthcare, community, and workplace settings-and at the mother-infant dyad level. Breastfeeding can additionally be an adaptive response to crisis situations and can mitigate some of the environmental challenges associated with climate change. Despite the undeniable significance of climate change on breastfeeding (and vice versa), our perspective as experts in the field is that this topic has not been systematically addressed. Although we highlight some of the challenges, potential solutions, and co-benefits of breastfeeding in the context of climate change, there are numerous issues that could be further explored and necessitate additional preparedness planning.

Natural disasters, foreign direct investment, and women's rights in developing countries.

We examine the conditions under which women's economic and political status is less vulnerable in the aftermath of natural disasters. We theorize that women in natural disaster-hit countries that receive higher levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) are less susceptible to the gendered impacts of those disasters. Since FDI is vital to post-disaster economic recovery, countries grappling with natural disasters are motivated to uphold women's rights as a strategy to attract FDI. Furthermore, multinational corporations (MNCs)' operation and commitment to gender equality-based values and practices are also an impetus to address the deterioration in respect for women's rights. By conducting a time-series cross-sectional, ordered logistic analysis with random effects and using a comprehensive dataset on natural disasters and women's rights, including 107 developing countries from 1990 to 2011, we find that FDI mitigates natural disasters' adverse effects on women's economic rights but not their political rights.