Public Health Humanitarian Responses to Natural Disasters (Routledge Humanitarian Studies)

The pressure of climate change, environmental degradation, and urbanisation, as well as the widening of socio- economic disparities have rendered the global population increasingly vulnerable to the impact of natural disasters. With a primary focus on medical and public health humanitarian response to disasters, Public Health Humanitarian Responses to Natural Disasters provides a timely critical analysis of public health responses to natural disasters. Using a number of case studies and examples of innovative disaster response measures developed by international agencies and stakeholders, this book illustrates how theoretical understanding of public health issues can be practically applied in the context of humanitarian relief response. Starting with an introduction to public health principles within the context of medical and public health disaster and humanitarian response, the book goes on to explore key trends, threats and challenges in contemporary disaster medical response. This book provides a comprehensive overview of an emergent discipline and offers a unique multidisciplinary perspective across a range of relevant topics including the concepts of disaster preparedness and resilience, and key challenges in human health needs for the twenty-first century. This book will be of interest to students of public health, disaster and emergency medicine and development studies, as well as to development and medical practitioners working within NGOs, development agencies, health authorities and public administration. This book aims at making lessons learnt from previous disasters available and comprehensible to students of disaster medicine, disaster public health and humanitarian studies. Readers will gain insight and theoretical understanding of the public health issues related to disaster and medical humanitarian response and be empowered personally and professionally to take necessary actions in the individual, community and national levels to reduce the health risk posed by the increasing frequency and intensity of disaster. Unlike other disaster-and-health textbooks in the market that have a strong focus on clinical management of victims and require technical knowledge from readers, "Public Health Principles in Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response" takes a step-by-step approach to deliver a wide array of public health theories in relation to disasters for readers from both medical non-medical backgrounds. This book is comprehensive in its coverage of relevant topics in disaster public health with a unique focus on Asia Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- CONTENTS -- List of illustrations -- List of boxes -- List of contributors -- Foreword -- Foreword -- Foreword -- Acknowledgements -- List of abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1 Key public health concepts of disaster preparedness and response -- 2 Disaster concepts and trends -- 3 General public health impacts of natural disasters -- 4 The specific human health impacts of natural disasters -- 5 When public health and disaster collide: responding to health needs in natural disasters -- 6 Current and likely medical and public health threats and challenges for disaster response in the twenty first century -- 7 Resources for disaster response and beyond -- 8 From public health emergency preparedness to resilience -- 9 Conclusion -- Index Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Contents List of illustrations List of boxes List of contributors Foreword Foreword Foreword Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Introduction 1 Key public health concepts of disaster preparedness and response 2 Disaster concepts and trends 3 General public health impacts of natural disasters 4 The specific human health impacts of natural disasters 5 When public health and disaster collide: responding to health needs in natural disasters 6 Current and likely medical and public health threats and challenges for disaster response in the twenty-first century 7 Resources for disaster response and beyond 8 From public health emergency preparedness to resilience 9 Conclusion Index