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Chronic diseases of victims and controls before and after disaster.

Donker, G., Yzermans, C.J., Kerssens, J.J. Chronic diseases of victims and controls before and after disaster. European Journal of Public Health: 2005, 15(Suppl. 1) 108-109. Abstract. 13th Annual EUPHA Meeting "Promoting the public's health: reorienting health policies, linking health promotion and health care", Graz, 10-12 November 2005.
Background: The aim is to quantify chronic diseases and to assess possible risk factors for developing chronic diseases during the 4 years following the explosion of a firework depot at Enschede, The Netherlands, on 13 May 2000. The immediate impact of the explosion was a completely destroyed neighbourhood with a death toll of 22 and 1000 persons injured. Methods: A longitudinal monitoring in (89% of all) victims (n = 9329) and controls (n = 7392) of continuous predisaster baseline morbidity for 16 months and post-disaster data for 4 years using the electronic medical records of general practitioners. Symptoms and diagnoses were recorded using the International Classification of Primary Care. Prevalence rates for chronic diseases were compared between victim and control groups, pre and post-disaster. Risk factors for developing chronic diseases were examined using hierarchical linear models. Results: In the first 2 years post-disaster, the prevalence of chronic diseases showed a stronger rise in victims compared with controls. Four years
post-disaster, the prevalence of chronic diseases was 12% higher in victims. The higher prevalence was due to a higher prevalence of chronic psychiatric, digestive, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal problems. No differences in cancer rates were observed. Inevitable relocation post-disaster was the strongest predictor of chronic diseases in disaster victims. Increasing age, female gender, and a lower socio-economic status were strong predictors of more chronic diseases in victims and controls, although female gender was a stronger predictor in victims. Conclusions: Four years post-disaster, a higher prevalence in chronic psychiatric, digestive, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal problems was observed in victims compared with controls. (aut.ref.)
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