Care provided by VA mobile clinic staff during Northridge earthquake relief

From 25 January 1994 to 02 February 1994, staff aboard four Veterans Affairs Mobile Clinics treated Northridge earthquake victims. This study examined the types of conditions treated by Clinic staff during the disaster.

A descriptive case series using 1,123 ambulatory encounter forms was undertaken. Case-mix was assessed by classifying diagnoses into 120 possible diagnostic clusters.

Forty-five percent of patients were infants or children and 60% were female. The primary diagnoses were characterized by acute conditions: 1) upper respiratory infection (34.6%); 2) stress reactions (11.9%); 3) otitis media (10.1%); and injuries (8%). Two-thirds of the infants and children either had an upper respiratory infection (46.4%) or otitis media (20.1%). Increasing age indicated an increased likelihood of stress and anxiety reactions.

The results provide additional information for agencies involved in planning for and responding to disasters. Based on the types of conditions diagnosed at the VA mobile clinics (i.e., a high prevalence of acute conditions, including stress and anxiety reactions, and the large numbers of children), staff trained in primary care, mental health, and pediatrics should be considered for relief missions that begin several days after an event resulting in a disaster.