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THE EFFECTS OF THE 921 TAIWAN EARTHQUAKE ON MOBILITY AMONG PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN THE DISASTER AREA: ISEE-268.

ABSTRACTS

Epidemiology. 14(5) Supplement:S52, September 2003.

Chang, T Y (1); Ou Yang, Y C; Hsiao, Y Y; Chan, C C

Abstract:

Introduction: On September 21, 1999, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale struck central Taiwan and caused a total of 2,347 deaths. From the scale and the degree of damage, it is believed to be the worst earthquake in 20th century Taiwan. Past studies related to earthquakes discussed the immediate effects on the mortality and causes of deaths, but rare studies emphasized the prolong effects on the mobility. One cohort study presented the increasing numbers of incident cases of hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes within the first 6 months, however, without the pre-earthquake clinical diagnosis or medical records, the relationship between the new cases of chronic diseases occurrence and the earthquake inducement was unknown. With the completely National Health Insurance (NHI) system in Taiwan, the purpose of this study was to describe the prevalent pattern of chronic diseases and to clarify the different mobility between the pre-earthquake and the post-earthquake in the 921 Taiwan Earthquake.

Methods: We carried out two sets of questionnaire survey to collect individual information related to damage of this earthquake and personal life style between 2002 and 2003. 3,637 persons comprised public employees and their family members were voluntary to supply personal identity numbers to link the NHI system for individual outpatient enrollment analysis. The data from March 21, 1999, through March 20, 2001 were obtained from the Bureau of NHI. According to the occurrence of the 921 Taiwan Earthquake, the outpatient data of this population was divided to pre-earthquake and post-earthquake time-periods with every 6 months. The trends of outpatient frequency and outpatient number of all diseases and specific chronic diseases were determined and the incident cases were observed during the two years.

Results: We observed that the total outpatient frequencies of all diseases in this population increased from 20,411 times in the half-year pre-earthquake to 23,103 times in the one-year post-earthquake and slightly decrease to 21,401 times in the 1.5-year post-earthquake. Male had higher outpatient frequencies than female and both gender had the same trend as the total of all diseases. In the outpatient numbers of all diseases, however, total outpatient numbers continued to increase from 2,677 persons in the pre-earthquake to 2,773 persons in the post-earthquake. The most age group to use healthcare service was 40-49 years old. Our findings presented rising trends in the prevalent rates of diabetes mellitus (ICD-9: 250) and hypertensive disease (ICD-9: 401-405) after this earthquake, but the prevalent rate of ischaemic heart disease (ICD-9: 410-414) reduced at the first 6 months and then increased in the post-earthquake. We also observed the numbers of incident cases on bronchitis, emphysema and asthma (ICD-9: 490-493) were more than other chronic diseases after this earthquake.

Conclusions: We concluded the prevalent patterns of chronic diseases on public employees and their family members were affected by the 921 Taiwan Earthquake, and the long-term effects of this earthquake on respiratory system would be more study in the future.

(C) 2003 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.