TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Nonstructural safety of hospitals for disasters: a comparison between two capital cities
JO  - Disaster medicine and public health preparedness
A1  - Djalali, Ahmadreza
A1  - Ardalan, Ali
A1  - Ohlen, Gunnar
A1  - Ingrassia, Pier Luigi
A1  - Corte, Francesco Della
A1  - Castrén, Maaret
A1  - Kurland, Lisa
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Hospitals are expected to function as a safe environment during disasters, but many become unusable because of nonstructural damage. This study compares the nonstructural safety of hospitals to disasters in Tehran and Stockholm. <br><br>METHODS: Hospital safety in Tehran and Stockholm was assessed between September 24, 2012, and April 5, 2013, with use of the nonstructural module of the hospital safety index from the World Health Organization. Hospital safety was categorized as safe, at risk, or inadequate. <br><br>RESULTS: All 4 hospitals in Stockholm were classified as safe, while 2 hospitals in Tehran were at risk and 3 were safe. The mean nonstructural safety index was 90% ± 2.4 SD for the hospitals in Stockholm and 64% ± 17.4 SD for those in Tehran (P =.014). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The level of hospital safety, with respect to disasters, was not related to local vulnerability. Future studies on hospital safety should assess other factors such as legal and financial issues. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-6).<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1935-7893
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2014.21
ID  - ref1
ER  -