Early response key in caring for disabled during disasters

Dipali Pathak713-798-4710


pathak@bcm.tmc.edu

Early response key in caring for disabled during disasters

HOUSTON -- (August 21, 2007) -- Essential lessons learned during the response to Hurricane Katrina included the need for physical medicine and rehabilitation professionals as early responders and the importance of promoting patient advocacy, say experts at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in a report that appears in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

"Physicians have had the feeling that rehabilitation services aren't needed until two to three weeks after a disaster hits, but we should be one of the first specialties on the scene," says Dr. Faye Chou Tan, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at BCM and lead author of the study. "We found that more people than previously thought needed rehabilitative care within the first week of arriving at the Astrodome."

The physically disabled are at a further disadvantage during disasters because of the underestimation of disability-specific supplies, medications and medical equipment such as wheelchairs.

The majority of the evacuees from the New Orleans area who were treated for rehabilitative conditions at the Astrodome were middle-aged and suffered most frequently from swollen feet and legs, leg pain and cramps, headaches and neck and back pain.

The study helped physicians identify which conditions were the most common and what supplies could be collected in advance in preparation for future disasters.

Preparing disabled patients to advocate for themselves during a disaster is also crucial, said Dr. Donna Bloodworth, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at BCM and co-author of the study.

"Patients should be aware of their diagnoses, what medications they are taking and how to contact their doctor," she said.

Those with special health care needs can dial 2-1-1 if they are in an evacuation zone during a disaster and need transportation to a shelter.

Bloodworth said physicians should speak to disabled patients each year about their medications. Patients should ask their doctors about early prescription refills if they are anticipating a disaster, and have a week's worth of supplies when evacuating.

Both study authors were able to apply lessons learned at the Astrodome within weeks when Hurricane Rita was set to hit Houston. They ensured that their patients evacuated with refills and all necessary information and now have a call schedule ready for the future.

Tan and Bloodworth recommend that healthcare providers be ready to hit the ground running during a disaster. "All physicians' skills are invaluable during a disaster," says Bloodworth.