Researchers at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences published results of a qualitative study of earthquake victims who were 65 or older. Via interviews with older survivors of 2003’s Bam earthquake in Iran, researchers identified four themes: 1) inappropriate service delivery for older adults; 2) insulting methods of relief aid delivery; 3) feelings of personal insecurity and vulnerability to theft; and 4) emotional distress.
Older adults have been widely recognized by researchers to be most vulnerable to the negative health effects of disaster. Chronic illness, sensory capacity, physical ability, reaction time, and an elevated emotional and physical burden after a disaster all contribute to their vulnerability. The biggest problem for many older adults in Bam was that their particular health conditions or physical needs were not considered by relief organizations. While the earthquake killed more than 26,000 residents, it also left 30,000 injured and another 45,000 people homeless. The infrastructure in the city and many of its homes were destroyed.
Common methods of disaster aid delivery are designed for the general population and do not take into account the specific needs of different population segments. Most often, this leaves many older adults at a disadvantage because of their weakened physical status and limitations. For example, one respondent told the researchers that he was unable to eat the food that was delivered during the first weeks after the disaster because his dentures were lost in the rubble. Related to this, older adults with chronic conditions were forced to compete with younger individuals for scarce food. Many respondents also reported that the earthquake forced them to become more dependent on younger family members, causing them to lose household head status, thus increasing their emotional distress.
For emergency planning to be more effective, the specific needs of vulnerable populations must be taken into consideration. Older adults all over the world are currently at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving aid during the post-disaster period.
Source: Ardalan, A., Mazaheri, M., Holakouie, K. et al. 2010. Older people’s needs following major disasters: a qualitative study of Iranian elders’ experiences of the Bam earthquake. Aging and Society 30:11-23.