Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103359

Richard W. Niska, MD, MPH and Catharine Burt, EdD. Ambulatory Care Statistics Branch, CDC National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 3319, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 458-4340, rdn4@cdc.gov

OBJECTIVE: This study examines hospital terrorism preparedness training and drilling. METHODS: The 2003 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Bioterrorism Preparedness Supplement sampled U.S. nonfederal hospitals to study training and drilling for terrorist incidents, as related to ownership, academic affiliation, JCAHO accreditation, bed capacity and urban location. Responses came from 399/462 hospitals (86%). SUDAAN chi-square measures of association were evaluated at p<0.05. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent of hospitals trained nurses in terrorism response, followed by 83% physicians, 49% residents, 53% midlevel practitioners and 74% laboratorians, with larger, urban, teaching, private and JCAHO hospitals more likely to have training. Training for smallpox, anthrax, chemical and nuclear exposures, and hospital incident command was ahead of other infectious diseases. Teaching, larger and JCAHO hospitals were more likely to have staff trained in one of these. Drills for natural disasters occurred most often, then chemical, biological, explosive, nuclear and epidemic incidents. More hospitals staged biological than epidemic drills. Despite explosions being the most common form of terrorism, such drills were staged by only 21% of hospitals. Teaching, urban and larger hospitals were more likely to stage any drills. Hospitals collaborated on drills most often with emergency medical services, fire departments and law enforcement agencies. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows baseline data for terrorism preparedness training and drilling for comparisons in 2004 and beyond, as more hospital preparedness funding becomes available. Emergency physicians, public health professionals and hospital administrators can use these results to improve the quality of terrorism preparedness training and practicing.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Identify the hospital characteristics associated with greater preparedness for terrorism in the areas of training and drilling.
• Identify the clinical professions most likely to be trained in terrorism response.
• Identify the biological, chemical, radiological and explosive scenarios most likely to be addressed by hospitals through training and drilling.
• Identify the outside organizations that hospitals are most likely to collaborate with in designing terrorism preparedness drills.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Disasters

Related Web page: www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/ahcd/nhamcsds.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.