J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2011 Jun;22(3):200-205.

Experience of a Medical Disaster Assistance Team during the Subacute Period after the Haiti Earthquake

• Ahn KJ
• Kim YK
• Park DY
• Kim H
• Cha KC
• Lee KH
• Hwang SO
• Hyun DJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
A medical disaster assistance team from our hospital was sent to the Haiti earthquake for 7 days of medical support.
METHODS
We analyzed the characteristics of patients who visited our field clinic at the scene during the subacute period after the disaster.
RESULTS
We treated 120 patients over 4 days, including two patients during the preparatory period. Most patients had visited a clinic in the second half of the period. Internal medicine and pediatrics were associated with the chief complaints of most patients. Acute tonsillitis had the largest number of patients(24.6%), followed by skin infections (9.2%), contusions and sprains(8.4%), and gastric ulcers (8.4%). Most of the medications were for conservative management(68.3%).
CONCLUSION
During the subacute period after the earthquake, most patients had secondary injuries, such as wound complications and complications from air and water pollution, rather than direct injuries from the earthquake. We recommend that more medical preparation than surgical preparation is required during subacute periods after an earthquake.

Keyword

Disaster; Medical assistance; Earthquake; Haiti

MeSH Terms

Contusions
Disasters
Earthquakes
Haiti
Humans
Internal Medicine
Medical Assistance
Palatine Tonsil
Pediatrics
Skin
Stomach Ulcer
Tonsillitis
Water Pollution