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Challenges Faced by Medical Rescue Teams During Disaster Response: A Systematic Review Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2023

Ahmet Doğan Kuday Open the ORCID record for Ahmet Doğan Kuday [Opens in a new window] ,
Tuğba Özcan Open the ORCID record for Tuğba Özcan [Opens in a new window] ,
Cüneyt Çalışkan Open the ORCID record for Cüneyt Çalışkan [Opens in a new window]  and
Kerem Kınık Open the ORCID record for Kerem Kınık [Opens in a new window]
Ahmet Doğan Kuday*
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster Medicine, Hamidiye Institute of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
Tuğba Özcan
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster Medicine, Hamidiye Institute of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
Cüneyt Çalışkan
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster Medicine, Hamidiye Institute of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey Department of Emergency Aid and Disaster Management, Hamidiye Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
Kerem Kınık
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster Medicine, Hamidiye Institute of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey Department of Emergency Aid and Disaster Management, Hamidiye Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
*
Corresponding author: Ahmet Doğan Kuday; Email: dogankuday@gmail.com
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Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the challenges faced by medical rescue teams during the response phase of sudden-onset disasters and provide a comprehensive understanding of these challenges. Peer-reviewed, English-language articles published until January 2023 that described the challenges faced by medical rescue teams during disaster response were searched in the Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, PubMed, and Science Direct databases. The articles were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018, a quality evaluation tool, and a qualitative thematic synthesis approach was adopted. A total of 353 publications were identified, and 18 of these met the inclusion criteria. Of the 18 included studies, 8 were review articles, 4 were special reports, 3 were cross-sectional studies, 1 was a mixed methods study, 1 was a qualitative study, and 1 was a short communication. Through qualitative analysis, the challenges faced by medical rescue teams during disaster response were categorized into 6 factors: organizational, individual, environmental and health, logistical, communication and information, and other factors. These factors are significant in terms of issues such as delayed access to disaster victims, disruptions in response processes, and an increase in morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, the findings in our study shed light on future research in the field of disasters and offer opportunities to develop a roadmap for improving the conditions of medical rescue teams.

Keywords

disasterresponsechallengemedical rescueteam
Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e548
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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