Health disparities and emergencies: Considerations in planning for and responding to violence and disasters

Violence and disasters often have a disproportionate effect on populations that are already vulnerable, or have limited access to prevention and intervention services. People who have pre-existing vulnerabilities may have these compounded as the result of an emergency, as they lose resources or community support. In addition to the policy issues related to decreasing health disparities, there is a need to initiate research that provides a scientific basis for changes in policy. This presentation will focus on the priorities for research in health disparities that relate to violence and disasters, and the potential impact of this research on policy and practice.