Citation

Hugelius K, Adolfsson A, Ortenwall P, Gifford M. Prehosp. Disaster Med. 2017; 32(2): 117-123.

Affiliation

School of Health Sciences,Örebro University,Örebro,Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S1049023X16001412

PMID

28043240

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In November 2013, the Haiyan typhoon hit parts of the Philippines. The typhoon caused severe damage to the medical facilities and many injuries and deaths. Health professionals have a crucial role in the immediate disaster response system, but knowledge of their experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster is limited. Aim The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.

METHOD: Eight health professionals were interviewed five months after the disaster. The interviews were analyzed using phenomenological hermeneutic methods.

RESULTS: The main theme, being professional and survivor, described both positive and negative emotions and experiences from being both a helper, as part of the responding organization, and a victim, as part of the surviving but severely affected community. Sub-themes described feelings of strength and confidence, feelings of adjustment and acceptance, feelings of satisfaction, feelings of powerless and fear, feelings of guilt and shame, and feelings of loneliness.

CONCLUSION: Being a health professional during a natural disaster was a multi-faceted, powerful, and ambiguous experience of being part of the response system at the same time as being a survivor of the disaster. Personal values and altruistic motives as well as social aspects and stress-coping strategies to reach a balance between acceptance and control were important elements of the experience. Based on these findings, implications for disaster training and response strategies are suggested. Hugelius K , Adolfsson A , Örtenwall P , Gifford M. Being both helpers and victims: health professionals' experiences of working during a natural disaster. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(2):1-7.

Language: en