Citation

Aitken PJ, Leggat PA, Brown LH, Speare R. Emerg. Med. Australas. 2010; 22(5): 435-441.

Affiliation

Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1742-6723.2010.01319.x

PMID

20726871

Abstract

Objective: Short-term isolation might occur during pandemic disease or natural disasters. We sought to measure preparedness for short-term isolation in an Australian state during pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Methods: Data were collected as part of the Queensland Social Survey (QSS) 2009. Two questions related to preparedness for 3 days of isolation were incorporated into QSS 2009. Associations between demographic variables and preparedness were analysed using chi(2), with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Most respondents (93.6%; confidence interval [CI] 92.2-94.9%) would have enough food to last 3 days, but only 53.6% (CI 50.9-56.4%) would have sufficient food and potable water if isolated for 3 days with an interruption in utility services. Subpopulations that were less likely to have sufficient food and potable water reserves for 3 days' isolation without utility services included single people, households with children under 18 years of age, people living in South-East Queensland or urban areas, those with higher levels of education and people employed in health or community service occupations. Conclusions: The majority of Queensland's population consider themselves to have sufficient food supplies to cope with isolation for a period of 3 days. Far fewer would have sufficient reserves if they were isolated for a similar period with an interruption in utility services. The lower level of preparedness among health and community service workers has implications for maintaining the continuity of health services.

Language: en