title: Emergency Department Presentations following Tropical Cyclone Yasi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emergency departments see an increase in cases during cyclones. The aim of this study is to describe patient presentations to the Emergency Department (ED) of a tertiary level hospital (Townsville) following a tropical cyclone (Yasi). Specific areas of focus include changes in: patient demographics (age and gender), triage categories, and classification of diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were extracted from the Townsville Hospitals ED information system (EDIS) for three periods in 2009, 2010 and 2011 to coincide with formation of Cyclone Yasi (31 January 2011) to six days after Yasi crossed the coast line (8 February 2012). The analysis explored the changes in ICD10-AM 4-character classification and presented at the Chapter level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a marked increase in the number of patients attending the ED during Yasi, particularly those aged over 65 years with a maximum daily attendance of 372 patients on 4 Feb 2011. The most marked increases were in: Triage categories--4 and 5; and ICD categories--diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99), and factors influencing health care status (Z00-Z99). The most common diagnostic presentation across all years was injury (S00-T98).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an increase in presentations to the ED of TTH, which peaked in the first 24-48 hours following the cyclone and returned to normal over a five-day period. The changes in presentations were mostly an amplification of normal attendance patterns with some altered areas of activity. Injury patterns are similar to overseas experience.
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensville, Townsville, Australia; Emergency Department, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensville, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aitken
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensville, Townsville, Australia; Royal Life Saving Society - Australia, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard Charles
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensville, Townsville, Australia; Emergency Department, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensville, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawlor
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensville, Townsville, Australia; Emergency Department, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensville, Australia.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensville, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Kerrianne
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensville, Townsville, Australia; Emergency Department, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensville, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furyk
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensville, Australia.
authors.forename: Niall
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Small
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensville, Australia.
authors.forename: Leone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lovegrove
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensville, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leggat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D055867:Cyclonic Storms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004190:Disasters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011793:Queensland; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014218:Triage; D055815:Young Adult