Physical and mental health status of soldiers responding to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.

While internationally major disasters occur frequently, for any one country they are unusual events. In this project we aimed to identify public health issues arising from the physical and mental health symptoms suffered by the soldier volunteers deployed in an

Sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or event requiring immediate action.
Note 1 to entry: An emergency is usually a disruption or condition that can often be anticipated or prepared for, but seldom exactly foreseen.

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relief task during the Wenchuan earthquake. Health problems identified in other Sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or event requiring immediate action. Note 1 to entry: An emergency is usually a disruption or condition that can often be anticipated or prepared for, but seldom exactly foreseen.

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Individual, who is not affiliated with an existing incident response organization or voluntary organization but who, without extensive preplanning, offers support to the response to, and recovery from, an incident.

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populations guided the development of a questionnaire. A cohort of 1,187 soldier volunteers completed the questionnaire, which measured physical and mental health symptoms during their rescue mission. The results were compared with a population norm of soldiers, although baseline data of the respondents were unavailable. Half the respondents reported suffering from skin and mucous membrane problems, followed by respiratory symptoms (38%), digestive (29%) and nervous (22%) symptoms. Despite a low

Actions taken during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.

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rate (53%) to the mental health component, nearly half (49%) of those who did respond reported mental health problems. The incidence of the above symptoms were significantly higher than the general soldier population. Health complaints were common in the soldiers, who had not received any formal

Activities designed to facilitate the learning and development of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and to improve the performance of specific tasks or roles.

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in rescue operations. Non-professional rescue workers who are not appropriately prepared for the role may suffer more than their professional counterparts. Attention needs to be paid to the health and safety of non-professional rescue workers, which has been ignored in most

Situation where widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses have occurred which exceeded the ability of the affected organisation, community or society to respond and recover using its own resources.

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management plans. These findings can be used to enhance the understanding of emergency Actions taken during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.

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programs within and outside China, where this particular Situation where widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses have occurred which exceeded the ability of the affected organisation, community or society to respond and recover using its own resources.

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