2014 Volume 29 Issue 6 Pages 437-443
When a large-scale disaster strikes, medical institutions give priority to a large number of hospitalized patients in critical condition. Therefore, the logistic support for evacuees in shelters receives low priority. Consequently, infection prevention precautions taken by individual evacuees become important. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of such precautions in order to develop measures to prevent the spread of infection during disasters. Structured interviews regarding hand hygiene and environmental sanitation were conducted with 80 evacuees of the Great East Japan Earthquake who had lived in emergency shelters. About 60% of evacuees reported the absence of facilities to wash their hands immediately after the earthquake. Restored water supply, and the arrival of relief goods, led to improved hand hygiene among the evacuees. However, given the importance of individual hygiene habits, day-to-day involvement might be necessary to ensure hand hygiene precautions among evacuees. We also found that only about 25% of evacuees were aware of external support for infection prevention behavior and sanitary control guidance. The hygiene environment was maintained in shelters with leaders who had received guidance on infection prevention behavior. This finding suggests the importance of a leader who manages the group in order to prevent the spread of infection. We should provide support to ensure that evacuees can ensure infection prevention behavior.
