@article{ref1,
title="Disasters and associated changes in physical and mental health in older residents",
journal="European journal of public health",
year="2005",
author="Deeg, Dorly J. H. and Huizink, Anja C. and Comijs, Hannie C. and Smid, Tjabe",
volume="15",
number="2",
pages="170-174",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Long-term health consequences of disasters have not been studied extensively, one reason amongst others is that no pre-disaster observation is available. This study focuses on an aeroplane crash on an Amsterdam suburb. The ongoing Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam has one pre-disaster and several post-disaster observations, making it possible to study changes in health, taking pre-disaster health characteristics into account. METHODS: Three exposure groups are distinguished: those living within a radius of 1 km from the disaster (initial n=39), those living between a radius of 1 and 2 km from the disaster (initial n=56), and those living in the rest of the city of Amsterdam (initial n=508). Health measures include general health, health in comparison with age peers, functional limitations, disability and cognitive functioning. These measures are based on self-ratings, interviewer observations, or both. RESULTS: Older persons living closest to the disaster area are likely to experience health decline in the wake of a disaster, over and above the health decline that would occur normally with aging. The disaster-associated health decline is small, and most obvious in the ability to perform actions (such as mobility), but is not observed in either disability in daily functioning, nor in self-perceptions of health. Cognitive functioning even shows a short-term improvement. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest substantial resilience in older adults, despite their common health problems.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1101-1262",
doi="10.1093/eurpub/cki126",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cki126"
}