TY - JOUR
T1 - The COVID-19 pandemic response and its impact on post-corona health emergency and disaster risk management in Italy
AU - Lamberti-Castronuovo, Alessandro
AU - Parotto, Emanuela
AU - Della Corte, Francesco
AU - Hubloue, Ives
AU - Ragazzoni, Luca
AU - Valente, Martina
N1 - Copyright © 2022 Lamberti-Castronuovo, Parotto, Della Corte, Hubloue, Ragazzoni and Valente.
PY - 2022/10/31
Y1 - 2022/10/31
N2 - BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted societies, influencing countries' Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) systems. By taking Italy as a case study, this research aimed to investigate the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the changes made to the existing H-EDRM system, with an emphasis on human resources, health service delivery, and logistics and the forward-looking strategies for the next health emergencies and disasters.METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational case study using qualitative methodology. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed considering the World Health Organization (WHO) H-EDRM framework. Multiple interviewees were selected to obtain a holistic perspective on the Italian response to COVID-19. Stakeholders from five different sectors (policy-making, hospital, primary care, third sector, lay community) from three of the most impacted Italian regions (Piemonte, Lombardia, and Veneto) were interviewed, for a total of 15 respondents.RESULTS: Results on human resources revolved around the following main themes: personnel, training, occupational health, and multidisciplinary work; results on health service delivery encompassed the following main themes: public health, hospital, and primary care systems; results on logistics dealt with the following themes: infrastructures, supplies, transports, and communication channels. Lessons learned stressed on the importance of considering pragmatic disaster preparedness strategies and the need for cultural and structural reforms. Stakeholders mentioned several implications for the post-pandemic H-EDRM system in Italy.CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight that the interconnection of sectors is key in overcoming pandemic-related challenges and for future disaster preparedness. The implications for the Italian H-EDRM system can inform advancements in disaster management in Italy and beyond.
AB - BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted societies, influencing countries' Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (H-EDRM) systems. By taking Italy as a case study, this research aimed to investigate the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the changes made to the existing H-EDRM system, with an emphasis on human resources, health service delivery, and logistics and the forward-looking strategies for the next health emergencies and disasters.METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational case study using qualitative methodology. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed considering the World Health Organization (WHO) H-EDRM framework. Multiple interviewees were selected to obtain a holistic perspective on the Italian response to COVID-19. Stakeholders from five different sectors (policy-making, hospital, primary care, third sector, lay community) from three of the most impacted Italian regions (Piemonte, Lombardia, and Veneto) were interviewed, for a total of 15 respondents.RESULTS: Results on human resources revolved around the following main themes: personnel, training, occupational health, and multidisciplinary work; results on health service delivery encompassed the following main themes: public health, hospital, and primary care systems; results on logistics dealt with the following themes: infrastructures, supplies, transports, and communication channels. Lessons learned stressed on the importance of considering pragmatic disaster preparedness strategies and the need for cultural and structural reforms. Stakeholders mentioned several implications for the post-pandemic H-EDRM system in Italy.CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight that the interconnection of sectors is key in overcoming pandemic-related challenges and for future disaster preparedness. The implications for the Italian H-EDRM system can inform advancements in disaster management in Italy and beyond.
KW - Humans
KW - COVID-19/epidemiology
KW - Pandemics
KW - Retrospective Studies
KW - Disasters
KW - Risk Management
KW - Italy/epidemiology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142107199&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1034196
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1034196
M3 - Article
C2 - 36388364
VL - 10
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
SN - 2296-2565
M1 - 1034196
ER -