Citation

Gofin R. Eur. J. Public Health 2005; 15(1): 100-104.

Affiliation

Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University and Hadassah, Israel.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/eurpub/cki127

PMID

15788812

Abstract

Political group violence in the form of terrorist actions has become a reality worldwide, affecting the health and economies of populations. As a consequence, preparedness and response are becoming an integral part of public health action. Risk appraisal, preservation of human and civil rights and communications within and between countries are all issues to be considered in the process. The combination of the natural history of terrorist actions and the epidemiological triangle model has been adapted in this paper and suggested as a comprehensive approach for preparedness and action. It covers preparedness (pre-event), response (event) and the consequences (post-event) of a terrorist attack. It takes into account the human factor, vectors and environment involved in each one of the phases.