Natural Disaster Surveillance Resources
On this page:Public Health Surveillance for Disaster-related Mortality
An understanding of risk factors associated with mortality and the relationship between disasters and mortality is necessary for developing and implementing policies to prevent or minimize disaster-related mortality. Death certificates are not a timely method for counting or evaluating mortality during or immediately after a disaster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the state health department receive an initial disaster-related mortality report from medical examiners, coroners, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, nursing and funeral homes during natural or man made disasters. This form is a model for what state health department and medical examiners may follow in situation following a disaster or emergency situation. This form is not intended to replace the death certificate or death certification procedures. This tool will be a helpful guide for basic information gathering required for mortality reporting in any natural or man made disaster and the data will be used by the states and local authorities for evidence based decision and required resource distribution.
Goals of the disaster-related mortality report —
- Identify the number of deaths-related to disasters and provide basic mortality information about the deceased for public health emergency officials in affected jurisdictions.
- Identify high risk groups that could benefit from immediate public health interventions.
- Evaluate and assess the direct and indirect impact of the disaster and human toll in affected communities on high vulnerable groups.
- Provide information on disaster-related mortality for emergency officials and public health officers to assist in future planning and mitigation efforts.
How to use the disaster-related mortality form
Data collection activities should begin immediately after the disaster using this form and should be focused on deaths that are likely disaster-related. The state or local authorities and other stack holders need to decide the extent and the time frame of data collection. In general we recommend using within 6-8 weeks post event, or until the emergency operations end or for a period previously agreed on by all interested parties. In order to simplify the data gathering process, general instructions for completion of the form are also provided with the form.
Following the disaster at the discretion of the state health officer, designated liaisons to work with staff from medical examiners/coroner offices, hospitals, Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT), nursing and funeral homes to educate them about the importance of accurately completing the form for each deceased person and submit (collect) the completed forms on a regular basis to the designated state or local public health officer or epidemiologist. State or local public health authorities should verify the accuracy of the information and manipulate (data entry, analysis and interpretation) their data as needed to facilitate reporting from within their jurisdiction. CDC as Federal public health agency will provide technical and staff to augment this local effort if gets official request. For those disaster response where CDC officially requested and assists in emergency response, prefers in receiving the data electronically (preferably through the [Rapid Data Collector (RDC)] system or receiving completed forms after forms have been submitted to or reviewed by state or local agencies on a regular bases. Daily submission is optimal. States will have ownership over the information collected, modification or additions to the form by the state should be discussed in advance prior to implementation.
Natural Disaster Morbidity Report Form
This form is for individual-level active surveillance of medical conditions of public health importance after natural disasters. Clinicians should use the one-page form to record information about the chief complaints and specific infectious syndromes, mental health conditions, injuries, and chronic diseases that best describe the reason the patient is currently seeking care. This form also may be filled out by abstracting information from patient records. Complete a single form for each patient who seeks care at an acute care facility (e.g. , hospital, Disaster Medical Assistance Team).
The interim form is for use when timely, detailed, patient-level information is needed for response efforts. This information can be used to monitor the types and frequency of illnesses and injuries and to guide public health interventions. Other morbidity surveillance information sources (e.g. ,emergency room logs, aggregate tallies, syndromic surveillance) may be more appropriate when summary or less-detailed information is sufficient or when the burden of collecting detailed, individual information is substantial.
The Natural Disaster Morbidity Report Form is not meant to replace regular patient triage and record keeping or routine surveillance reporting mechanisms.
Individuals completing these forms should submit them to the appropriate state or local public health authorities. State or local public health authorities should modify contact information on these forms as needed for reporting within their jurisdiction. CDC is interested in receiving completed forms after they have been submitted to or reviewed by state or local agencies. The information derived through these surveillance efforts will be invaluable for identifying events of public health concern among facilities and across states. It also will assist in directing interventions and other resources to areas of greatest need.
Sample Forms
Disaster-related Mortality Surveillance Form
(Spanish Version) Disaster-related Mortality Surveillance Form
Morbidity Report Forms
In addition, a web-based data entry format (RDC) system is now available.
The RDC system is a secure web site which requires prior registration and certification by CDC. For instruction on how to register, please, call Michael Miller at (770) 488-7542 or send an email to mjmiller@cdc.gov
For more help
CDC is available to support local and state mortality surveillance efforts following natural or manmade disasters. For questions and additional information about the disaster-related mortality form, please contact the Division of Environmental Hazard and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC at 1-888-422-8737 or at ehheinq@cdc.gov .