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Disaster Surveillance Working Group (DSWG): Coordinating Morbidity Surveillance Following a

Natural Disaster

Amy Wolkin, MSPH

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Environmental Health

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Hurricane Katrina Surveillance Experience

• Data reported by 12 states

• Multiple data sources

• Surveillance forms created in the field

• Data collection varied, unable to aggregate data

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Disaster Surveillance Working Group (DSWG)

• DSWG established following Hurricane Katrina• Cross-organizational work group• Goals:

• Develop standardized surveillance tools • Collaborate with states to gain consensus and

awareness of tools• Evaluate tools • Provide technical resources to states

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Activities to Date

• Created multiple forms for use in a variety of settings

• Piloted form to validate variables

• Hosted External Partners’ Meeting

• Responded to 2008 hurricanes

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Available Forms

• Natural Disaster Morbidity Report Form

• Abbreviated Natural Disaster Morbidity Form

• Individual Natural Disaster Morbidity Tally Form

• Aggregate Natural Disaster Morbidity Form

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DSWG Natural Disaster Morbidity Report Form

• Patient-level data• Shelter setting• Capture clinical

presentations• Revised version based

on pilot and feedback from state partners

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External Partners’ MeetingMay 2008

• External Partners:• State health departments• CSTE• American Red Cross• Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT)

• Requests:• Ready-to-use Forms

• Multiple settings (e.g., hospital, shelter)• Multiple formats (e.g., electronic, Excel, Access, EPI Info)

• Bank of questions • Technical Expertise

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2008 Hurricane Experience• Hurricane Gustav

• Provided forms to all state health departments impacted by storm or receiving evacuees

• Received daily aggregate forms from Kentucky and Arkansas

• Hurricane Ike• Received multiple requests for surveillance forms

from CDC Public Health Service (PHS) staff• Surveillance data from Field Medical Stations and

deployed Applied Public Health Teams not shared with CDC DEOC

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Lessons Learned from 2008 Hurricanes

• Existing relationships extremely helpful in sharing of data

• Lack of clarity of US PHS deployment role versus CDC role in response to hurricane

• Clear need for all deployed teams to have training and tools to conduct surveillance

• Medical intake form common request

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Future Activities

• FY09 Budget• Train all CDC PHS officers on DSWG Tools • Continue to revise surveillance forms• Visit state health departments to vet forms

• Address lessons learned during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike• Hold after action meeting with Texas • Continue working with state partners• Coordinate with US PHS and NDMS to share

surveillance data during a disaster

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Summary

• DSWG tools currently availablehttp://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/surveillance/

• CDC subject matter experts available for technical assistance

• DSWG Contacts: Gary Noonan GNoonan@cdc.govAmy Wolkin AWolkin@cdc.govRebecca Noe rhn9@cdc.gov

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Thank you