TABLE 2.
Illnesses, Injuries, and Medical Care Needs and Access by Household Following the Earthquake-Tsunami, American Samoa, 2009
| Initial Community Needs Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) | Follow-up CASPER | % Changeb,c | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illness/Conditions | % of Households (95% CI) |
Projecteda No. of Households (95% CI) |
% of Households (95% CI) |
Projectedc Households (95% CI) |
|
| Respiratory (cough, flu) | 21.2 (14.9–27.5) | 967 (632–1302) | 13.5 (7.2–19.7) | 610 (295–925) | −36.3 |
| Stress/sleep disturbance | 11.8 (7.2–16.3) | 537 (114–303) | 5.3 (2.3–8.3) | 236 (67–405) | −55.1 |
| Stomachache/diarrhea | 8.9 (4.8–13.1) | 405 (198–613) | 7.2 (2.1–12.3) | 322 (37–608) | −19.1 |
| Skin condition/rash/burn | 4.3 (1.6–6.9) | 193 (66–320) | 2.9 (0.0–5.9) | 129 (0–261) | −32.6 |
| Inability to perform daily tasks | 3.8 (1.7–5.8) | 172 (65–278) | 1.9 (0.2–3.6) | 86 (3–169) | −50.0 |
| Dehydration/heat stress | 3.3 (0.4–6.2) | 150 (14–287) | 3.9 (1.0–6.7) | 172 (19–324) | +18.2 |
| Injuries | |||||
| Laceration, abrasion | 11.8 (4.5–19.0) | 537 (179–895) | 3.4 (0.4–6.4) | 150 (15–286) | −71.2 |
| Bruise/contusion | 6.1 (2.4–9.8) | 279 (96–463) | 1.4 (0.0–3.2) | 64 (0–138) | −77.0 |
| Impalement/puncture wound | 2.4 (0.0–4.7) | 107 (0–218) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | −100.0 |
| Strain/sprain/dislocation | 2.4 (0.4–4.3) | 107 (17–198) | 1.0 (0.0–2.4) | 43 (0–104) | −58.3 |
| Motor vehicle-related or other blunt trauma | 1.9 (0.0–4.1) | 86 (0–190) | 2.4 (0.6–4.2) | 107 (17–197) | +26.3 |
| Insect bite | 0.9 (0.0–2.2) | 43 (0–104) | 0.5 (0.0–1.4) | 21 (0–66) | −44.4 |
| Electrical injury | 0.5 (0.0–1.4) | 21 (0–66) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | −100.0 |
| Burn/sunburn | 0.5 (0.0–1.4) | 21 (0–66) | 0.5 (0.0–1.4) | 21 (0–66) | 0 |
| Brain injury/concussion | 0.5 (0.0–1.4) | 21 (0–66) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | −100.0 |
| Medical Care | |||||
| Needed medical care since tsunami | 19.0 (13.6–24.4) | 854 (575–1134) | 24.6 (16.4–32.8) | 1087 (660–1513) | +29.5 |
| Need care immediately | 16.6 (10.0–23.3) | 696 (408–984) | 26.2 (18.6–33.8) | 1155 (746–1563) | +57.8 |
| Cannot get medical care/supplies | 31.2 (23.6–38.8) | 1389 (1030–1748) | 33.2 (22.7–43.6) | 1473 (921–2024) | +6.4 |
| Lack of transportation | 6.6 (2.5–10.6) | 301 (107–495) | 5.3 (0.0–11.3) | 236 (0–523) | −19.7 |
| No medical services available | 1.4 (0.0–3.6) | 64 (0–162) | 0.5 (0.0–1.4) | 21 (0–66) | −64.3 |
| Financial reasons | 9.0 (5.0–12.9) | 406 (219–592) | 15.0 (7.8–22.1) | 666 (271–1061) | +66.7 |
| Afraid to travel | 2.8 (0.2–5.4) | 129 (13–245) | 0.5 (0.0–1.5) | 21 (0–66) | −82.1 |
a
Based on weighted analyses using information from 2000 census (4513 housing units with a total population of 25 700).
b
Percent change=(% of households in follow-up CASPER) – (% of households in initial CASPER)/(% of households in Initial CASPER).
c
A positive (+) sign indicates an increase in the response percentage, whereas a negative (−) sign suggests a decrease in the response percentage.