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Assessing Functional Needs Sheltering in Pike County, Kentucky: Using a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 January 2014
Abstract
During 2009-2011, Pike County, Kentucky, experienced a series of severe weather events that resulted in property damage, insufficient potable water, and need for temporary shelters. A Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) survey was implemented for future planning. CASPER assesses household health status, preparedness level, and anticipated demand for shelters.
We used a 2-stage cluster sampling design to randomly select 210 representative households for in-person interviews. We estimated the proportion of households with children aged 2 years or younger; adults aged 65 years or older; and residents with chronic health conditions, visual impairments, physical limitations, and supplemental oxygen requirements.
Of all households surveyed, 8% included children aged 2 years or younger, and 27% included adults aged 65 years or older. The most common chronic health conditions were heart disease (51%), diabetes (28%), lung disease (23%), and asthma (21%). Visual impairments were reported in 29% of households, physical limitations in 24%, and supplemental oxygen use in 12%.
Pike County residents should be encouraged to maintain an adequate supply of medications and copies of their prescriptions. Emergency response plans should include transportation for persons with physical limitations; and shelter plans should include sufficient medically trained staff and adequate supplies of infant formula, pharmaceuticals, and supplemental oxygen. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:597-602)
- Type
- Concepts in Disaster Medicine
- Information
- Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 7 , Issue 6 , December 2013 , pp. 597 - 602
- Copyright
- Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2013
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