Introduction

Title

Typhoon Yolanda struck the Philippines on November 8, 2013 with strong winds of over 300 km/h. It was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded. The death toll has reached 6.300 and many provinces were affected, as showed in the figure 1.In response to this massive devastation, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, in consultation with the UN Humanitarian Inter-Cluster Coordination Group decided to conduct a survey on post-typhoon disability and health profiles of people affected. The main aim of this survey is to provide detailed information on affected populations’ ongoing health and disability problems as well as to provide a broader base for humanitarian support to people affected.

Measuring Disability and Health in Emergencies: implementing a disability survey using WHODAS 2.0 in the Typhoon Yolanda affected areas of the Philippines

Abstract Typhoon Yolanda was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded that struck the Philippines on November 8, 2013. A survey on the populations’ disability and health profiles was conducted after this disaster using a protocol composed of socio-demographic schedule, household questionnaire and WHODAS 2.0 Disability Assessment Schedule. This survey will allow us to report the affected populations’ health and disability problems and to validate the WHODAS 2.0 in an emergency situation so that for future emergency health and disability evaluation could be performed with WHODAS 2.0 as part of the general emergency situation.

11-17 October 2014Barcelona, Spain

Poster Number

WHO/CTS to insert

WHO - FAMILY OF INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS NETWORK ANNUAL MEETING 2014

Leonardi M., Kostanjsek N.F., Chatterji S.³, Naidoo N. ³, Raggi A.², Schiavolin S., Zayas J. , Tarroja C., Regadio C.J. , Pindog M., Talampas R., Paiella G.6, Zagaria N.6

1 Neurology, Public Health and Disability Unit - Neurological Institute Carlo Besta IRCCS Foundation, Milan, Italy2 WHO Collaborating Centre Research Branch3 WHO Head Quarter, Geneva, Switzerland4 Social Development Research Center (SDRC) of De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines5 Inclusive Development and Empowerment Agenda (IDEA), Philippines6 WHO, Philippines

Title

Methods & Materials

A sample of 2000 adult people has been interviewed by researchers of the Social Development Research Center (SDRC) of De La Salle University and the Inclusive Development and Empowerment Agenda (IDEA). The interviewers were 40, men and woman from Tacloban area, Leyte island, and some had previous experiences on surveys. There were teachers, social workers, phychologists, nurses and community workers among the field staff. People interviewed came from 12 different Barangays.Data will be analysed by Besta Institute, WHO of Geneve and WHO of Manila and they will be available soon.

Acknowledgements or Notes

Results

Conclusions

It was the first time ever that – within the context of an UN lead humanitarian response effort - disability was officially recognized as key outcome indicator and WHO committed to do a disability survey in the areas affected by Yolanda.This innovative approach that considers functioning and disability profiles together with tailored socio demographic information, allows better public health planning and improvement in policies and interventions.At the end of data analysis we will be able to report the health of people affected. Furthermore this survey will allow us to validate the WHODAS 2.0 in an emergency situation so that for future emergency health and disability evaluation could be performed with WHODAS 2.0 as part of the general emergency situation.

The Survey Protocol includes socio-demographic questionnaire, household questionnaire and WHODAS 2.0 Disability Assessment Schedule. Whodas 2.0 was provided by WHO HQ, and modified for field application by WHO Regional Office, the Social Development Research Center (SDRC) of De La Salle University, Inclusive Development and Empowerment Agenda (IDEA) and Neurological Institute Besta of Milan. A field training was prepared by Besta Insitute and performed by a WHO expert in the area of disability studies and by researchers of SDRC and IDEA.Data collection was conducted from May 25 to June 30, 2014 and July 17-18, 2014 after a pilot study on 100 cases. A further survery will be repeated 9 months to one year later.Figure 2 shows the specific questions on typhoon of the Household questionnaire as an example.

Figure 1:Affected provinces in red

Conclusions

Photo: Typhoon Yolanda

Figure 2: Questions on typhoon of the Household questionnaire

Authors thank all the interviewers that participated to data collection.