Changes in Hospitalization for Ischemic Heart Disease After the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake: 10 Years of Data in a Population of 300,000

Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2016 Apr;10(2):203-10. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2015.128. Epub 2015 Nov 16.

Abstract

Objective: The effects of earthquakes on ischemic heart disease (IHD) have often been reported. At a population level, this study examined short-term (60-day) and long-term (5-year) hospitalization events for IHD after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

Methods: We examined the 10-year medical hospitalization records on IHD in the city of Deyang provided by the Urban Employee Basic Health Insurance program.

Results: Evaluation of 19,083 hospitalizations showed a significantly lower proportional number and cost of hospitalizations in the 60 days after the earthquake (P<0.001). Hospitalizations were 27.81% lower than would have been expected in a normal year; costs were 32.53% lower. However, in the 5 years after the earthquake, the age-adjusted annual incidence of hospitalization increased significantly (P<0.001). In the fifth year after the earthquake, it was significantly higher in the extremely hard-hit area than in the hard-hit area (P<0.01).

Conclusion: After the 2008 earthquake, short- and long-term patterns of hospitalization for IHD changed greatly, but in different ways. Our findings suggest that medical resources for IHD should be distributed dynamically over time after an earthquake.

Keywords: earthquake; hospitalization; ischemic heart disease; population; public health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • China / epidemiology
  • Earthquakes / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myocardial Ischemia / epidemiology
  • Myocardial Ischemia / etiology*
  • Public Health / methods
  • Retrospective Studies