PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Soeteman, Rik J. H.
AU  - Yzermans, C. Joris
AU  - Kerssens, Jan J.
AU  - Dirkzwager, Anja J. E.
AU  - Donker, Ge A.
AU  - ten Veen, Petra M. H.
AU  - van den Bosch, Wil J. H. M.
AU  - van der Zee, Jouke
TI  - Health Problems Presented to Family Practices in The Netherlands 1 Year Before and 1 Year After a Disaster
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.2007.06.060067
DP  - 2007 Nov 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
PG  - 548--556
VI  - 20
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/20/6/548.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/20/6/548.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med2007 Nov 01; 20
AB  - Background: Disasters often have negative health consequences. Studies of health problems presented in family practice before and after a disaster are rare. The present study analyzed health problems before and after a disaster and predictors of increased morbidity after the disaster as presented in family practice.Methods: A matched cohort study design with measurements 1 year before the disaster and 1 year after the disaster. Victims (N = 9183) and matched controls (N = 7066) were surveyed in the electronic medical records of 30 family practices after the explosions of a fireworks depot in The Netherlands. All health problems were registered using the International Classification of Primary Care.Results: Victims showed significantly higher prevalence rates for psychological problems after the disaster than before the disaster (422 vs133 per 1000 person-years; P < .001) and for problems of the musculoskeletal system (450 vs 401 per 1000 person-years; P < .05).Relocation because of the disaster (odds ratio, 10.65; 95% confidence interval, 8.15–13.94) and, to a lesser degree, psychological morbidity before the disaster (odds ratio, 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.42–3.76) were the strongest predictors of psychological problems after the disaster.Conclusion: The results suggested that forced relocation and a history of psychological problems were risk factors to post-disaster psychological problems of victims presenting to a family practice.