Napa Earthquake Survey Results Now Available

News submitted from the County of Napa:

The California Department of Public Health recently released the final results of the door-to-door survey of City of Napa and American Canyon households conducted September 16-18, 2014.

The Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (C.A.S.P.E.R.) final report is available here.

The survey asked questions about residents’ experiences during and after the August earthquake to assess:

1. The extent of injuries, chronic disease exacerbation, and mental health issues associated with the earthquake, and

2. The degree of disaster preparedness of these communities.

Mental health issues were extremely common among residents of both cities, with about 79 percent of households in the City of Napa and 73 percent of households in American Canyon reporting a traumatic experience or mental health stressor during or since the earthquake. Between 15-28 percent of these households suffered a traumatic experience of the type that can elevate the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sixty-three percent of households in the City of Napa and 55 percent in American Canyon did not have an emergency supply kit before the emergency. Over half of those who did not have an emergency kit prior to the earthquake said they had not thought it necessary to have one.

As part of her Master’s in Public Health (MPH) internship with Napa County Public Health, Loralyn Taylor was trained with 55 staff and volunteers to conduct the survey.

“In addition to asking about damages and loss of personal items, the CASPER addressed how individuals were doing psychologically post-quake.” said Taylor. “I feel the CASPER survey gave public health professionals and disaster preparedness workers a better understanding of what the community needs in the event of another earthquake.”

Survey results will be discussed at the next Public Health Outreach Network for Emergenciesmeeting as the start of a conversation about how to prepare for the next disaster. The P.H.O.N.E. is a network of community and faith-based organizations founded in June 2013 that are sources of trusted information to the people they serve and agree to deliver important health and safety messages in during emergencies. For more information call (707) 259-5971.

C.A.S.P.E.R is a tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that uses household-based sampling to provide information about the health status, basic needs, and other pertinent information about a community following a disaster. Results from the survey allow public health and emergency officials to make informed decisions regarding response, allocation of resources and other public health action.

Photo: Al Francis of NapaSonomaPhotos.com.

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