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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Barry S. Levy, MD, MPH, Adjunct Professor of Public Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, 20 North Main Street #200, PO Box 1230, Sherborn, MA 01770, 508-650-1039, blevy@igc.org

The war in Iraq has had a profound impact on health of combatants and noncombatants. More than 2,500 Coalition forces have been killed and at least 16,000 have been wounded, often with serious, disabling injuries. An estimated 30,000 to more than 100,000 Iraqis have died, and many more have been injured or have developed chronic diseases during the war. Health services in Iraq have been adversely affected. Public health programs have been reduced or eliminated. Severe damage has occurred to the health-supporting infrastructure. Many Iraqis have been forcibly displaced from their homes. Human rights have been abrogated. The physical, sociocultural, and economic environments have been adversely affected. The hundreds of billions of dollars spent on the war could have been used to provide necessary health and human services in the United States, Iraq, and elsewhere.

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

• Describe the direct adverse health effects of the war in Iraq;
• Describe the indirect effects of the war in Iraq;
• Understand approaches to minimize the adverse health consequences of war and to help prevent war.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation