title: Psychiatry consultation during disaster preparedness: Hurricane Gustav.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about patient populations that remain during or after the mandatory evacuation of a city and use hospital services. This study sought to characterize the population that presented to an emergency department during Hurricane Gustav in 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective chart review of patients who presented to the Interim Louisiana State University Hospital emergency department in New Orleans during the 72-hour activation phase of Hurricane Gustav.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 104 patients, 51 (49%) had a psychiatric diagnosis. Among the psychiatric patients, 34 (67%) had a substance use disorder diagnosis, 16 (31%) had a mood disorder, 13 (25%) had a psychotic disorder, and 4 (8%) had an anxiety disorder. The psychiatry service was the most used consultation service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first report to characterize the patient population presenting to an emergency department during a hurricane evacuation. Data suggest that disaster preparedness should include psychiatric consultation services. The consultation psychiatrist may anticipate patients with high levels of substance use disorders and the need for ongoing psychiatric management until the event ends.
authors.affiliation: Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 1542 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. econra@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Erich J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: Kimberly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lavigne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004190:Disasters; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055820:New Orleans / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology