title: Health needs of patients with chronic diseases who lived through the great Hanshin earthquake.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the health needs of patients with chronic diseases who lived through the great Hanshin earthquake of 1995.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine patients with rheumatism, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease were enrolled in the study. Semi-structured interviews were performed by the authors in 2004.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Priorities for patients with all three diseases were securing medications and ensuring that they were able to take their medications. Rheumatism patients required methods of preventing their bodies from becoming cold, fatigued, and stressed in order to prevent aggravation of their disease; they also wanted relief workers to understand the physical limitations they experience. The health needs of diabetic patients included receiving an appropriate diet and developing ways to cope with the stress caused by the change in living environment. Patients with chronic respiratory diseases reported that their health needs included developing methods to prevent their bodies from becoming cold, fatigued, and stressed in order to prevent aggravation of their disease, access to respiratory masks to minimize dust and cold air exposure, and guidance in methods to alleviate respiratory symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The emergency preparedness planning and care priorities for individuals with chronic health problems, such as rheumatism, diabetes, and pulmonary disease, should include attention to medication availability, stress management, support for activities of daily living, appropriate food, and availability of support devices necessary to minimize exacerbation of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing Art and Science, University of Hyogo, Akashi, Japan. kikuko_mori@cnas.u-hyogo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kikuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ugai
authors.forename: Youko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nonami
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kirimura
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Motoki
authors.forename: Hidesuke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaji
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006292:Health Priorities; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000523:psychology*; D012066:Relief Work / Q000458:organization & administration; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires