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Indexes of Caring for Elderly in Earthquakes According to the Iranian Experience: A Qualitative Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2018

Hassan Khodadadi ,
Soudabeh Vatankhah  and
Tabandeh Sadeghi
Hassan Khodadadi
Affiliation:
School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, and Department of Pediatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
Soudabeh Vatankhah*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Health Management, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, and Economics Research Centre, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Tabandeh Sadeghi
Affiliation:
Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran, and Department of Pediatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Soudabeh Vatankhah, Associate Professor, Department of Health Management, Faculty of Health Management & Information Sciences & Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (email: vatankhah_s@yahoo.com).
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Abstract

Objective

The elderly are especially susceptible to death and injury in disasters. This study aimed to identify indexes of caring for elderly people in an earthquake according to the Iranian experience.

Methods

This qualitative study was conducted during 2014–2016 by use of the content analysis technique. Data were collected through individual deep interviews with the elderly and people with experience providing services to the elderly during earthquakes in an urban area of Iran. The data were analyzed by use of the Graneheim and Lundman method.

Results

Seven categories emerged: vulnerability of elderly people, physiological indexes, psychological indexes, economic indexes, religious and spiritual indexes, health indexes, and security indexes. There were 3 uncategorized issues: “There is no specific protocol for the elderly,” “The need to design plans based on age care,” and “Aid organizations.”

Conclusions

Implementing a comprehensive plan would not only save lives but decrease suffering and enable effective use of available resources. Due to the crucial role of the prehospital care system in disasters, there is a need for further investigation based on the results of this study to develop strategies for improving the system. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:493–501)

Keywords

earthquakedisasterelderly
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , August 2018 , pp. 493 - 501
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2018 

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