Health risk assessment and health management of urban residents facing epidemic pneumonia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: As the birthplace of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China, Hubei Province is prone to outbreak of epidemic pneumonia and respiratory infectious diseases due to its large population mobility and high population density. OBJECTIVE: The research aims to assess the health risk of urban residents with epidemic pneumonia as an example, and formulate corresponding health management measures according to the risk degree, thus providing the basis for improving the physical and mental health level of urban residents. METHODS: Hubei Province, the birthplace of COVID-19, is selected as the study area. Five cities (Wuhan, Ezhou, Jingzhou, Huanggang, and Xiaogan) with the largest number of confirmed cases are assessed for health risk. The method of health risk assessment for residents is put forward, including establishing a quantitative model and determining risk index, vulnerability index, and exposure index of epidemic pneumonia. According to the characteristics of COVID-19, the corresponding health management measures are put forward. RESULTS: The order of vulnerability index is Huanggang >  Jingzhou >  Xiaogan >  Ezhou >  Wuhan; the order of risk index is Wuhan >  Xiaogan >  Jingzhou >  Ezhou >  Huanggang; the order of exposure index is Wuhan >  Jingzhou >  Xiaogan >  Huanggang >  Ezhou; the order of risk is Wuhan >  Jingzhou >  Ezhou >  Huanggang >  Xiaogan. The risk of Wuhan and Ezhou is at the middle level, and the other three cities are in the low level. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors affect the physical and mental health of residents, and the residents’ health risk index is higher especially in the economically-developed, densely-populated, and highly-mobile cities.