Description
Surveillance strategies following major natural disasters have varied widely with respect to methods used to collect and analyze data. Following Hurricane Katrina, public health concerns included infectious disease outbreaks, injuries, mental health and exacerbation of preexisting chronic conditions resulting from unprecedented population displacement and disruption of public health services and health-care infrastructure.
Objective
This paper describes the public health surveillance response to hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and surrounding Parishes; particularly illustrating the methods, results, and lessons learned for implementing passive, active and electronic syndromic surveillance systems during a major disaster.