Antimicrobial resistant infections are expected to increase the rate of antibiotic treatment failure in patients during a mass casualty incident. We aim to examine the potential impact of rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on medical preparedness and response to a nuclear detonation in the United States (U.S.) using a model to estimate the number of casualties with secondary bacterial infections overlaid with real-world data on the burden of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

The population of injured individuals needing treatment was estimated from a simulation involving a 100-kiloton nuclear detonation in a major U.S. metropolitan area. Contemporary antibiotic resistance rates for eight key bacterial pathogens were derived from the SENTRY Microbiology Visualization Platform.

Our model estimated that up to 65% of the casualties could be at risk to develop a secondary bacterial infection requiring antibiotic treatment which, when combined with the increasing burden of AMR in U.S., could result in up to one third of those patients who are injured and infected being at risk for treatment failure due to antibiotic resistance.

The burden of AMR on the emergency response to a mass casualty incident, as described, could be a significant hinderance to efforts to treat infections and protect lives.

To investigate the mental health impacts and coping mechanisms faced by trained oiled wildlife responders who deployed to the 2011 MV Rena oil spill, Aotearoa, New Zealand, following the vessel’s grounding on Astrolabe reef.

A thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews was conducted with 8 core wildlife responders based on the following questions: What challenges are faced by trained oiled wildlife responders when managing oiled wildlife, within the oil spill response work environment, and how do oiled wildlife response agencies promote and protect the mental health of responders?

Participants demonstrated a high commitment to utilizing their expertise for wildlife rehabilitation. While they accepted euthanasia as necessary, they experienced more intense emotions to mass mortality events and accidental deaths in the wildlife facility. Responders employed informal coping mechanisms, relying heavily on social connectedness and teamwork for support but reported insufficient training in trauma management and limited formal debriefing opportunities. Many depended on previous experiences to cope with the psychological challenges encountered and relied on strong professional identity.

The findings highlight the need to integrate primary prevention mental health training into oil spill response. This should specifically focus on mental health support, stress management, and resilience development.

This study aimed to investigate the association between the experience of rescue activities in the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and psychological distress among medical rescue workers (MRWs).

MRWs were recruited from March 8 to March 31, 2024. Outcomes were psychological distress and PTSS. Independent variables were the experiences of rescue activities in the Noto Peninsula earthquake and peritraumatic distress assessed by the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI).

1085 MRWs completed all questions. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that experiences of being overwhelmed by the tragic situation in the disaster area (B = 0.61, p < 0.01), experience of disagreement and conflict among rescuers during rescue activities (B = 0.51, p < 0.01) and PDI (B = 0.33, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with psychological distress, and experience of disagreement and conflict among rescuers during rescue activities (B = 1.70, p < 0.01) and PDI (B = 0.65, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with PTSS.

This study showed factors associated with PTSS and psychological distress among MRWs during the Noto Peninsula earthquake, which was an important finding for future research on the mental health of MRWs.

The symptoms of anxiety in the outbreak of COVID-19 were so severe that they entered the research literature as the term COVID-19 anxiety. This systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to identify the variables related to COVID-19 anxiety and the effectiveness of psychological interventions on it.

In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, the literature was systematically searched in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, ISI, and Persian databases such as Noormags and SID on COVID-19 anxiety from January 2020 to April 2022. In the initial search, 105 articles were found. In the data correlation section, 13 studies for the fixed effects model were meta-analyzed. In the interventional section, 14 articles were selected. The systematic review data were extracted, and all statistical data were analyzed by CMA-2.

The results of the meta-analyses for psychopathological correlations with COVID-19 anxiety in 13 articles indicated the correlation between COVID-19 anxiety and other mental states and disorders (P = .0001/I2 = 97.27%). Other findings demonstrated the effect of psychological interventions on COVID-19 anxiety in 14 articles with high effectiveness of these treatments (P = .00/I2 = 85.67%).

It seems COVID-19 anxiety is affected by psychological variables. Hence, psychological interventions represent effective treatments for anxiety due to COVID-19.

This study aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of women’s experiences following a major forest fire.

In qualitative research, sample size is not statistically determined, as generalization is not the primary goal. A small number of participants can yield rich data. The interview form included 3 demographic questions and 10 open-ended items aligned with the study’s objectives. Data analysis was conducted using MAXQDA version 24.1.0.

Thematic analysis identified 3 main themes: Emotional Response, Fire Intervention, and Gender, comprising 8 categories. Participants commonly reported intense fear and anxiety, accompanied by physical symptoms such as tension and elevated blood pressure. Primary concerns involved the loss of pets, resources, security, and shelter. Women were found to be deeply affected emotionally and psychologically by the fire experience.

The study revealed that women were equally engaged in firefighting efforts as men and also played a crucial caregiving role, offering support to affected individuals. These dual roles reflect both their resilience and the emotional burden they carried. The findings underscore the significant psychological impact of wildfires on women and highlight the necessity of integrating gender-sensitive approaches in disaster response and recovery efforts.

This study aimed to validate and ensure the reliability of the Turkish version of the Vitality Questionnaire, which captures traits advantageous for survival, to aid in systematic preparations for future disasters and life challenges.

In this study, the Scale of Eight Personal Characteristics Related to Vitality was translated into Turkish by three language experts, validity and reliability analyses were conducted, and a pilot test was carried out with 30 participants. Subsequently, between February 1 and March 1, 2024, online data were collected from 523 individuals across Turkey who had experienced disasters.

The average age of participants was 24.09 ± 7.60 years; 72.7% (n = 380) were female. Among participants, 79.2% (n = 359) had experienced an earthquake, 65.1% (n = 56) a flood, and 47.4% (n = 9) a fire. Analysis of the Eight Personal Traits Scale showed the original 8-factor structure was retained, with all item factor loadings above 0.40 and an explained variance of 61.180%. Therefore, no items were removed, and the 8-subdimension structure was accepted. Factor loadings ranged between 0.34 and 0.83. Internal consistency, evaluated through split-half reliability, was found to be at an acceptable level.

The analysis and evaluations conducted in this study concluded that the Eight Personal Traits Scale Related to Disaster Vitality is a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Turkish sample in identifying personal traits in the face of disasters.

This qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences, challenges, and perceptions of nurses regarding disaster preparedness in non–first-tier (inland) cities in China. Building upon our previous quantitative findings, we sought to understand the psychological, professional, and organizational factors that influence nurses’ disaster response capabilities in resource-limited settings.

A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 nurses from four comprehensive hospitals at or above the second level in Yongcheng City, Henan Province, China, between September and December 2023. Participants were purposively selected based on their involvement in disaster response activities. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Colaizzi’s 7-step method.

Five major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Psychological Stress and Emotional Adaptation, (2) Disaster Emergency Response Capacity and Management, (3) Communication and Collaboration, (4) Challenges in Disaster Nursing Capacity Development, and (5) Impact of Disaster Relief Participation. Key findings revealed that nurses experienced significant psychological pressure during disaster response, struggled with limited specialized training opportunities, faced challenges in team coordination, and identified institutional barriers to disaster preparedness enhancement. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated strong professional commitment and developed personal coping strategies.

This study provides critical insights into the lived experiences of nurses during disaster response in Chinese non–first-tier cities. The findings highlight the need for systematic psychological support mechanisms, specialized disaster nursing training programs tailored to local contexts, enhanced interhospital collaboration networks, and stronger institutional commitment to disaster preparedness. These insights complement our previous quantitative findings and offer a comprehensive foundation for developing targeted interventions to enhance disaster nursing capabilities in resource-limited settings.

This study aims to explore the association between Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and people’s willingness to receive the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination.

This survey was conducted in November 2020. 1461 participants (convenient sampling method) completed the online questionnaire. HRQoL was assessed using the 12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12) which included Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS and MCS). The relationship between HRQoL and the willingness of COVID-19 vaccination was assessed by multivariate logistic regression.

25.67% of respondents intended to be vaccinated immediately, 61.05% hesitated, and 13.28% refused. The mean score of PCS was 51.27 ± 6.30 and MCS was 47.72 ± 9.26. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the correlation between HRQoL and the willingness of vaccination (Ρ<0.05). Based on Z-score standardization, for 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in PCS, the odds ratio (OR) was 0.854 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.753-0.969) for hesitant vaccination vs. immediate vaccination. For 1 SD increase in MCS, the OR was 0.810 (95% CI: 0.677-0.970) for reluctant vaccination (refusal of COVID-19 vaccination) vs immediate vaccination, and the OR was 0.808 (95% CI: 0.710-0.919) for hesitant vaccination vs immediate vaccination.

People with better HRQoL preferred to receive the COVID-19 vaccine immediately.

Syrian refugee women face numerous obstacles that impact their reproductive health. The aim is to assess prevalence and predictors of miscarriage and induced abortion among Syrian refugee women in Türkiye.

This study is a cross-sectional analysis based on data from 1886 Syrian refugee women aged 15-49 who have a history of marriage, obtained from the 2018 Türkiye Demographic and Health Survey – Syrian Migrant Sample. Univariate Chi-square, independent t-test, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine predictors of abortion and miscarriage.

Among ever married Syrian refugee women, 27.3% (n = 514) experienced at least 1 miscarriage, 5% (n = 95) reported having at least 1 abortion. Mean maternal age was predicted with miscarriage and induced abortion (OR = 1.06 [CI: 1.04-1.08; P < 0.001] and OR = 1.08 [CI: 1.04-1.12; P < 0.001] respectively). Women in the southern/eastern region of Türkiye experienced 4.24 times (95% CI = 1.50-12.02; P < 0.01) more abortions than in the western/central region. Women who are related to their spouses had an abortion 1.91 times (95% CI = 1.06-3.43; P < 0.05) more frequently than non-related couples.

The rate of miscarriages and induced abortions is high among Syrian refugee women in Türkiye. Regional differences, maternal age, and marriage between relatives have been identified as important variables that need to be taken into consideration. Interventions concentrating on those elements by the bodies concerned may thereby lessen the burden and effects of abortion and miscarriage.

Power outages can lead to food-borne and water-borne illness risks for consumers if proper protective measures are not taken at home. The purpose of this study was to understand the behaviors of Canadians related to food and water safety preparedness at home during power outages and floods.

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted, consisting of 6 virtual focus groups, each with 8 people, in July 2023. Participants were selected from geographically dispersed locations in Ontario, Canada that had experienced power outages due to weather events. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate key themes.

Four themes were generated related to participants’ food and water safety preparedness: 1) trusted information sources and lived experiences; 2) support and resources; 3) factors beyond one’s control; and 4) differences in psychosocial determinants.

Effective risk communication targeting misconceptions, incentivization programs, and community resilience planning may help prevent or reduce enteric illness risks during such emergencies.

Field hospitals are deployable hospitals that treat patients directly on site before they are transported to permanent medical facilities. The supply of sterile surgical instruments is important, but not every field hospital is equipped with a sterile processing department. This concept therefore attempts to test a method of reprocessing surgical instruments under field conditions that can at least provide a provisional form of disinfection in case of logistic breakdowns.

Development, testing, and evaluation of a provisional chemical reprocessing procedure for reusable surgical instruments using hydrogen peroxide. The evaluation was carried out visually, microbiologically, and with regard to material damage.

The concept is easy to implement but requires thorough training. The reprocessed surgical instruments were free of residual protein, showed no bacteriological growth, and were not damaged by the chemical reprocessing even after 10 cycles.

Provisional reprocessing of reusable surgical instruments seems possible using high-level chemical disinfection with hydrogen peroxide (3% for 150 minutes or 7.5% for 30 minutes) in case of necessity due to logistic breakdowns and patients that need immediate treatment. In addition, a multibarrier approach that includes hygiene measures and antibiotic stewardship is required to effectively reduce the risk of surgical site infections.

The study was conducted to assess the psychological resilience and stress symptoms in health care workers following the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake.

The study was completed with a sample size of 313 health care workers who experienced the earthquake and was carried out in a descriptive and correlational design. The Sociodemographic Data Form, Brief Psychological Resilience Scale (BPRS), and Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale-5 (TSSS-5) were used.

The study found that 39.6% of health care workers were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, 41.2% of participants considered leaving their jobs after the earthquake, and 79.9% reported a decrease in job motivation (slight or a lot). It was determined that there was a negative correlation between the participants’ BPRS scores and TSSS-5 scores (r:-0.523, P = 0.00).

In accordance with the findings of our study, it can be posited that traumatic stress symptoms diminished as the level of psychological resilience increased in health care workers who experienced the earthquake.