Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-nr4z6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-01T17:49:10.547Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Assessment of the Knowledge of Blast Injuries Management among Physicians Working in Tripoli Hospitals (Libya)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2017

Abdulhakim M. Oun ,
Elmokhtar M. Hadida  and
Charles Stewart
Abdulhakim M. Oun*
Affiliation:
Department of Community and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya
Elmokhtar M. Hadida
Affiliation:
Department of Community and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya
Charles Stewart
Affiliation:
Visiting Professor, EMDM Program, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
*
Correspondence: Abdulhakim Oun, EMDM P.O. Box 13796 Tripoli University Tripoli Libya E-mail: Earma2012@yahoo.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction

No study on hospital staff preparedness for managing blast injuries has been conducted in Libya. The internal conflict in Libya since 2011 and the difficulties faced by the hospitals has highlighted the need for such studies.

Hypothesis

Physicians working in Tripoli (capital city Libya) hospitals are inadequately prepared for the management of blast injuries.

Methods

A survey was conducted in all 13 hospitals in Tripoli between June 2014 and May 2015 by using interviews based on a questionnaire consisting of 29 questions covering physicians’ education related to blast injury, hospital management of mass casualties, and aspects of hospital preparedness for such incidents.

Results

Of 3,799 physicians working in Tripoli hospitals, 607 physicians were interviewed (16.0%). All but one of the physicians reported that there was no disaster response plan, none of them had read such a plan, 496 (81.7%) reported that hospitals were not prepared, and 471 (77.6%) that hospitals were not equipped for blast injuries. Though 414 (68.2%) reported that radiological equipment was available, 597 (98.3%) revealed that hospitals do not adopt training for blast injury. Only 39 (6.4%) had received professional training, though 183 (30.1%) were seeing blast injury patients at least once a week in their daily practice. Nevertheless, 185 (30.5%) had previous knowledge and experience in blast injuries management and 338 (55.70%) were aware of the major physical findings, but only 75 (12.4%) were following specific guidelines. According to approximately one-third of the physicians (192; 31%), staff and patient safety were not priorities for the hospital administration. Almost all (606; 99.9%) revealed that personal protective equipment for chemical and nuclear accidents was not available.

Conclusion

Preparedness for blast injuries in Tripoli hospitals is seriously deficient. Planning optimized blast and disaster management in Libya is essential.

OunAM, HadidaEM, StewartC. Assessment of the Knowledge of Blast Injuries Management among Physicians Working in Tripoli Hospitals (Libya). Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):311–316.

Keywords

blast injuriesdisaster medicinehospitalsLibyaneeds
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 3 , June 2017 , pp. 311 - 316
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Conflicts of interest/funding: none declared

References

1. World Health Organization. Countries: Libya. www.who.int/countries/lby/en. Accessed January 24, 2015.Google Scholar
2. El Oakley, RM, Ghrew, MH, Aboutwerat, AA, et al. Consultation on the Libyan health systems: towards patient-centered services. Libyan J Med. 2013;8.Google Scholar
3. International Red Cross Committee. Libya Annual Report. 2012:149. http://www.refworld.org/docid/51d52c1e3.html. Accessed January 24, 2015.Google Scholar
4. The UN Mine Action Gateway. Libya portfolio of humanitarian mine action, arms, and ammunition management projects. Mid-year review. Updated July 8, 2013. http://www.mineaction.org/sites/default/files/documents/20130708%20Libya%20Portfolio%20MidYear%20Review.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2015.Google Scholar
5. Severance, HW. Mass-casualty victim “surge” management. Preparing for bombings and blast-related injuries with possibility of hazardous materials exposure. N C Med J. 2002;63(5):242-246.Google Scholar
6. Hick, JL, Koenig, KL, Barbisch, D, Bey, TA. Surge capacity concepts for health care facilities: the CO-S-TR model for initial incident assessment. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2008;2(Suppl 1):S51-S57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. World Health Organization for Europe, Country Health Systems Division. Davoli EA, (ed). Practical Tool for the Preparation of a Hospital Crisis Preparedness Plan, with Special Focus on Pandemic Influenza. 2007. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/ pdf_file/0003/90498/E89763.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2015.Google Scholar
8. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. In a Moment’s Notice: Surge Capacity for Terrorist Bombings. Atlanta, Georgia USA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2007. https://www.facs.org/~/media/files/quality%20programs/ trauma/disaster/moments_notice.ashx. Accessed April 8, 2015.Google Scholar
9. Kaji, AH, Koenig, KL, Lewis, RJ. Current hospital disaster preparedness. JAMA. 2007;298(18):2188-2190.Google Scholar
10. Hoyle, JDS. Healthcare Facility Disaster Management. In:. Koenig and Schultz’s Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices. Cambridge University Press; 2010: 285-311.Google Scholar
11. World Health Organization. Post Conflict Health Facility Assessment. Health Information Center, Ministry of Health; Libya; 2012.Google Scholar
12. Rosenfeld, JV, Fitzgerald, M, Kossmann, T, et al. Is the Australian hospital system adequately prepared for terrorism? Med J Aust. 2005;183(11-12):567-570.Google Scholar
13. Ahmed, AA. Road traffic accidents the number one killer in Libya. Libyan J Med. 2007;2(2):64-65.Google Scholar
14. Siddiqui, MA, Jawad, A, Minhas, S, Ansari, A, Siddiqui, A, Mehtab, S. Pakistan: the new target of terrorism. Are Karachi’s emergency medical response systems adequately prepared? J Pak Med Assoc. 2009;59(7):441-445.Google Scholar
15. Treat, KN, Williams, JM, Furbee, PM, Manley, WG, Russell, FK, Stamper, CD Jr. Hospital preparedness for weapons of mass destruction incidents: an initial assessment. Ann Emerg Med. 2001;38(5):562-565.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed