Abstract

ARCOS GONZALEZ, Pedro; PEREZ-BERROCAL ALONSO, Jorge; CASTRO DELGADO, Rafael  and  CADAVIECO GONZALEZ, Beatriz. Mortality and morbidity from disasters in Spain. Gac Sanit [online]. 2006, vol.20, n.6, pp. 481-484. ISSN 0213-9111.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0213-91112006000600011.

Objective: To analyze disaster episodes in Spain between 1950 and 2005 in order to characterize their pattern and evaluate their impact on morbidity and mortality. Methods: We performed an observational retrospective study using the United Nations' definition of disaster. A disaster was considered as each episode, natural or technological, causing more than 15 deaths and/or more than 50 wounded persons. Epidemic and environmental disasters were excluded. Results: The frequency of disasters has increased in Spain, especially during the four last decades. The frequency of disasters doubles in the second semester of the year and shows wide geographical variation. Spain has a mixed disaster pattern, with a predominance of technological disasters, which are 4.5 times more frequent than natural disasters. The most frequent type of natural disaster in Spain is flooding and most frequent technological disasters are traffic accidents.

Keywords : Disaster; Mortality; Morbility.