PMID: 69793Jul 23, 1977Paper

Disease-surveillance and decision-making after the 1976 Guatemala earthquake

Lancet
H C SpencerE C Long

Abstract

In the first 3 weeks after the 1976 earthquake in Guatemala a system for collecting, analysing, and disseminating information of medical importance was instituted in the disaster area. Data on cases of selected diseases, number of available hospital beds, and medical supplies were collected, and reported epidemics were investigated. The system functioned well despite the limited numbers of trained personnel. Collection and analysis were quick enough for data to be used immediately in decision-making. No epidemics of communicable diseases were observed in the affected area. The number of dog bites in Guatemala City increased but no cases of rabies were reported. The success of the surveillance system in Guatemala suggests that immediate use of epidemiological methods should be an integral part of disaster relief.

Citations

Apr 1, 1995·Journal of Medical Systems·E K Noji
Jun 25, 2013·Preventive Medicine·Jinichi MoriYukio Kanazawa
Oct 1, 1991·Epidemiology and Infection·P Shears
Oct 1, 1979·American Journal of Public Health·R I GlassJ L Conrad
May 1, 1996·Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America·M J HowardF M Burkle
Jul 20, 2002·European Journal of Emergency Medicine : Official Journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine·E K Noji
Feb 24, 2001·Prehospital and Disaster Medicine·Y AsariM Ohta
Jul 6, 2005·Journal of Travel Medicine·Annelies Wilder-Smith, Robert Steffen

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