Risk factors for mortality during the 2002 landslides in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia |
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| Authors: | Carlos Sanchez Tze-San Lee Stacy Young Dahna Batts Jefferson Benjamin Josephine Malilay |
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| Institution: | Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer assigned to the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, United States, at the time of the study and is currently contractor to the United States Navy in Lima, Peru;;Mathematical statistician in the Biometry Activity, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects (EHHE), NCEH, CDC, Atlanta;;Staff epidemiologist, Health Studies Branch, EHHE, NCEH, CDC, Atlanta, and is now an independent consultant;;Medical officer, Health Studies Branch, EHHE, NCEH, CDC, Atlanta, and is now at the National Center for Health Marketing, CDC;;(Deceased) was Deputy Secretary, Department of Health, Education and Social Services, Federated States of Micronesia, at the time of the study;;Team Leader, Disaster Epidemiology and Assessment Team, Health Studies Branch, at the time of the study and is currently Associate Director for Science (Acting), EHHE, NCEH, CDC, Atlanta. |
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| Abstract: | This study examines health effects resulting from landslides in Chuuk during Tropical Storm Chata'an in July 2002, and suggests strategies to prevent future mortality. In August 2002, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to identify risk factors for mortality during landslides, which included 52 survivors and 40 surrogates for 43 decedents to identify risk factors for death. Findings suggest that 1) females had a higher mortality rate from this event than males, and 2) children aged 5–14 years had a 10-fold increase in mortality when compared with annual mortality rates from all causes. Awareness of landslides occurring elsewhere and knowledge of natural warning signs were significantly associated with lower risks of death; being outside during landslides was not associated with reduced mortality. In Chuuk, improving communication systems during tropical storms and increasing knowledge of natural warnings can reduce the risk for mortality during landslides. |
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| Keywords: | conditional logistic regression landslide mortality odds ratio proxy |
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