Hurricane Preparedness Survey Reveals Public Health Worries

As Texas cleans up after last week’s Hurricane Dolly, what are residents in coastal areas most worried about when it comes to hurricanes?  New survey says most of them are probably concerned there may not be enough fresh water or medical care.

According to an article on the Infection Control Today magazine website, the survey by the Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security shows that one-third (34 percent) of those people in hurricane-prone areas say they are very prepared if a major hurricane were to strike their communities in the next six months.

The survey asked respondents who were either threatened or hit by Hurricane Katrina what were their biggest worries in the aftermath of a hurricane. Forty-two percent were very worried there would not be fresh water to drink, while 41 percent were very worried they would not be able to get needed medical care.

Those who weren’t affected by Katrina? Those respondents said their biggest concern was getting the gas needed to evacuate (39 percent very worried). This is a concern that Katrina-affected respondents share (36 percent very worried) but it ranks below worries about fresh water and medical care. Those not affected by Katrina are much less likely to be worried about fresh water (27 percent very worried) and getting needed medical care (29 percent very worried).

“The top concerns of people in high-risk hurricane areas — having enough fresh water, getting medical care, and obtaining gas to evacuate — are all things that public officials can plan for before the major storms of this season hit,” Robert J. Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health, told the publication.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/hotnews/hurricane-preparedness-public-health.html