Background: Dust and Sand Storm (DSS), according to estimates by global reports, will increase dramatically in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Numerous health problems caused by DSS will be severely affected regions and vulnerable groups. This study aimed to identify the components of the preparedness of health systems for the DSS phenomenon in EMR. Methods: In this systematic review, the peer-reviewed papers in four electronic databases, including Medline through PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and the Cochrane library, as well as available grey literature, were searched and selected. The research process was carried out by including papers whose results were related to the potential health effects caused by desert dusts in EMR. Was used the combination of three groups of keywords: the exposure factor, health effects as outcomes, and the countries located in EMR. The focus was on the PRISMA checklist, with no time limitations until December 2017. Finally, through 520 related citations, 30 articles were included. Descriptive and thematic content analyses were evaluated. Results: The preparedness components were divided into three and ten main categories and subcategories, respectively. The three categories covered the areas of DSS hazard identification, planning and policy-making, and risk assessment. Conclusions: Recognition of the health system preparedness factors for DSS in EMR will help policy-makers and managers perform appropriate measures when dealing with this hazard. More studies should be conducted to understand these factors in other parts of the world. Registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42018093325.
Recently, Choi et al. published an article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, indicating that mental health disorders were experienced by disaster survivors in Korea. [...]
Context: Humanitarian logistics aims to reduce the suffering of disaster victims by fulfilling their immediate needs. A key component of humanitarian logistics is the prepositioning of relief items (such as water and food) for effective emergency response. Objectives: This study aimed to explore factors affecting the prepositioning of relief items for natural disasters. Data Sources: This was a systematic review. Relevant articles were retrieved from Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. We also assessed other gray literature. Data Extraction: Data were summarized and analyzed through thematic content analysis. Overall, 22 final articles were included in the study. Articles that referred to the prepositioning of relief items were included in the study. Results: Factors affecting the prepositioning of relief items were categorized into four main categories and eight sub-categories. These categories included site selection, preparation, and management of warehouse (with two sub-categories of warehouse site selection, warehouse workforce); risk management studies (with two sub-categories of uncertainty, and demand estimation); infrastructures (with two sub-categories of transportation infrastructures, and other infrastructures); and financial and sociopolitical factors (with two sub-categories of financial problems and limitations sociopolitical factors). Conclusions: Appropriate identification of factors that affect relief-item prepositioning can help decision-makers design appropriate models for prepositioning.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.