Physical health consequences of disasters

The aim of this chapter is to introduce the physical health effects of disasters and to outline ways of thinking about how disasters lead to ill health and, therefore, ways in which we can mitigate those effects. Disasters are complex events in which the hazard impacts on the community to produce adverse outcomes, including adverse health outcomes. The nature of the impacts is determined by the nature and extent of the hazard and the vulnerabilities and resilience of the community affected. Adverse health impacts may be a direct consequence of the impact of the hazard (e.g. drowning), or they may be an indirect consequence of the social and infrastructure disruptions caused by the hazard (e.g. lost access to healthcare). They may be physical and mental. A more in-depth understanding of the scope and range of adverse health impacts can inform the development of mitigation strategies and, thus, contribute to building more resilient communities.