Impact of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake on the Utilization and Difficulties Associated with Prescription Medications and Health Aids

Abstract

AbstractIntroduction:The medical impacts of disasters have focused on the injuries, illnesses, and deaths related to the disaster. Little has been written about the impact of disasters on persons who use prescription medications or those medications that require refrigeration, or those who require health aids. The objective of this study was an evaluation of the level of utilization of prescription medications and medications that require refrigeration as well as the use of health aids by the population affected by the disaster.Methods:Following the Northridge earthquake of 1994, a survey of Los Angeles County households was conducted to assess the impact of the earthquake. A total of 1247 households completed the 48 minute telephone interview. As part of the interview, 10 questions assessed the utilization of medications and medical aids by household members and the effects that the earthquake had on those medications and devices. Chi-square, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and logistic regression analysis were applied.Results:Of the 1,212 completed interviews, 21% of the households had a family member taking a prescription medication or a medication requiring refrigeration. Associated factors included gender, race, age, household income, level of education, presence of children, and the intensity of the earthquake (by the Modified Mercalli Index). Only 3% of those that reported medication usage noted problems associated with the use of these medications.Thirty-nine percent of the respondents indicated that someone in the household used a health aid (e.g., eyeglasses, hearing aid, etc.). Usage was related to gender, race, age, household income, level of education, presence of children, and the intensity of the shaking associated with the earthquake. Of these, 6.5% reported difficulty with these aids, usually related to loss or breakage.Conclusions:Although the proportions of the population requiring prescription or refrigerated medications and/or for those using health aids in Los Angeles seemingly are small, this translates to 630,000 households in which someone requires medications and 1.2 million households with a requirement for health aids. Thus, there are a huge number of persons at risk for serious medical problems related to these medications and devices that could produce profound medical problems during a disaster. However, during and following a moderate earthquake, it does not seem that the consequences will be great.