Ak. Henderson et al., DISASTER MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TEAMS - PROVIDING HEALTH-CARE TO A COMMUNITY STRUCK BY HURRICANE-INIKI, Annals of emergency medicine, 23(4), 1994, pp. 726-730
Study objective: To describe the type of medical care that disaster me
dical assistance teams (DMATs) provided to a community struck by a maj
or hurricane. Study design: A prospective study describing the use of
DMAT field clinics by a population affected by a major hurricane. Data
regarding the type of medical care provided to disaster victims and t
he acuity of each patient's medical condition were abstracted from med
ical charts at each field clinic. Setting: Three DMAT field clinics th
at provided medical care to residents of Kauai, Hawaii, after Hurrican
e Iniki struck the island on September 11, 1992. Results: From Septemb
er 16 to 19, 1992, three DMATs provided medical care to 614 people. Th
e patients' average age was 34 years, and 60% were male. The largest t
reatment categories were injury (40.4%), illness (38.6%), and preventi
ve services (9.0%). Most illnesses and injuries were minor, and 99% of
the patients were ambulatory. Only 33 patients (5.4%) were referred t
o another medical provider. Referrals were generally for procedures no
t available in DMAT field clinics rather than for life-threatening con
ditions. Conclusion: DMATs sent to assist with the medical needs of a
US community struck by a major hurricane should be prepared to deliver
basic medical services and primary health care. The need for these me
dical services will continue beyond the impact phase of a hurricane di
saster.