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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Mary Theresa Urbano, PhD MPH RN, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, 230 Appleton Place, Box 40, Nashville, TN 37203, 615-322-4999, terri.urbano@vanderbilt.edu

In the 2005 hurricanes, the most affected individuals were often those with a physical or mental disability. Emergency personnel failed to identify many individuals. Even when individuals were identified, sheltering facilities were not equipped to meet special health needs. This session highlights the needs of individuals with disabilities and strategies that may help in emergencies. Each of us has the right to receive appropriate and accessible shelter, to be treated with dignity, and to participate in decision-making. In addition, many persons with disabilities have challenges such as difficulty understanding what is happening to them, communicating with others, and independently accomplishing activities of daily living. Some people may also need the support of another person or an assistive animal (such as a guide dog). Shelters must prepare to address specialized health care access, the daily management of complex medical conditions, medication availability and administration, and interdisciplinary professional support (including physicians, nurses, pharmacists and mental health personnel). Tracking mechanisms should be established so that individuals can maintain contact with family members. Public health nurses are ideally positioned to assure the rights of individuals with disabilities, including the right to appropriate emergency health care. Such assurances can be accomplished through five strategies. First, experts in disabilities should be included in state-level emergency planning committees. Second, communities should identify individuals who would need special assistance before a disaster occurs. Third, emergency alert systems should address the special needs of individuals with vision and hearing challenges. Fourth, emergency personnel must be trained to identify individuals with disabilities during the triage process. Finally, special shelters should be established to meet complex health-care needs. By adopting some simple strategies, we can dramatically improve health access for individuals with disability in future disasters.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, the participant will be able to

• Recognize that individuals with disabilities have special needs during a disaster.
• Identify five strategies for assuring the rights of individuals with disabilities to appropriate health care access in disaster situations.
• Identify that public health nurses have a critical role in emergency planning and response efforts.

Keywords: Disasters, Disability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered