Use of structured observational methods in disaster research: "Recurrent medical response problems in five recent disasters in the Netherlands".

Doctors Juffermans and Bierens are to be commended for their paper published in this issue of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine entitled " Recurrent Medical Response Problems in Five Recent Disasters in the Netherlands. " In the study, it is noted that health disaster response problems are repeated disaster after disaster. This finding seems to be consistent with the recurrent problems of communications, logistics, and access that have occurred in major events such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and Haiti Earthquake. Interestingly, the authors found no improved performance in medical disaster response related to disaster plans and protocols. While disaster experts will find the findings reported important for discussion and further evaluation, this editorial is written to discuss the research methodology demonstrated by the study. In their paper, Doctors Juffermans and Bierens have used research methods that are important for performing valid observational " meta-analysis " of archived disaster reports. 1 The authors have provided a template for structured disaster medical research of archived data. Further, the research supports the use of field and after-action reports to further develop disaster medical research. As shown with this study, structured field reports, after-action reports, KAMEDO reports, and disaster case reports contribute to disaster research and form a foundation for standardized reviews and analysis of multiple events. 2 In an effort to promote future research based on the methods used by Juffermans and Bierens, it is useful to dissect the methodology of the paper into the steps the authors used in doing their research. In the following paragraphs these steps are identified and discussed. Pre-study actions included the following steps: 1. The authors refined their study objective, so that they were able to concisely state what they were seeking to study. 2. The existing medical literature was searched to determine what specific information already existed regarding the study objective. After reviewing the literature, the authors were able to state that their study would add to the medical science knowledge base. 3. The study population was identified and defined. The study population definition included location, infrastructure, population density, economic status, and time-frame. Time-frame for study of a population is important because extended time periods may allow for population shift and change. A vaguely defined or changing study population may result in undetected bias of study results. 4. The study data source was defined. For this study, the authors selected data …