Chapter 8 : Restoring public health under disaster conditions : Basic sanitation, water and food suply, and shelter

This chapter provides an overview of the basic concepts of health promotion and disease prevention for disaster nursing. Nurses responding to the needs of populations and communities affected by disasters require an understanding of the basic tenets of environmental health, methods of health promotion, and disease prevention strategies. Individuals affected by disasters must have their basic physiologic needs met in a timely manner for survival. A framework for establishing public health priorities and minimun standards for water, food, sanitation and solid waste removal, shelter, and vector control is proposed. Response to public health emergencies such as outbreaks of foodborne illness is presented (AU)