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Investigation of Health-Related Consequences of Landmine Explosions During the Past 4 Decades (1979-2016): A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study, Kurdistan, Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2019

Soraya Fathollahi ,
Arezoo Yari ,
Farin Fatemi ,
Ali Ardalan ,
Farzam Bidarpoor  and
Nader Esmailnasab
Soraya Fathollahi
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Arezoo Yari*
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Farin Fatemi*
Affiliation:
Research Center for Health Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
Ali Ardalan
Affiliation:
Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Farzam Bidarpoor
Affiliation:
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Nader Esmailnasab
Affiliation:
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Arezoo Yari, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran (e-mail: yariarezoorose@gmail.com)
Farin Fatemi, Research Center for Health Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran (e-mail: f-fatemi@alumnus.tums.ac.ir).
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Abstract

Objectives:

Landmines remain a potential public health concern in the western and southern border regions of Iran. The aim of this study was to assess the health-related consequences of landmine explosions in Kurdistan Province during the past 4 decades.

Methods:

This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Kurdistan Province of Iran in 2016-2017. The data gathering process was questionnaire based. Survivors, or a member of the deceased’s family, were interviewed, and 410 questionnaires were completed. Data analysis was performed by using descriptive or analytical tests in SPSS software V.22.

Results:

Antipersonnel landmines caused death immediately after the explosion 32.1% of the time, and 67.9% survived with various disabilities, such as blindness, deafness, and limb amputation. Sixty-three percent of the injuries were related to limb amputation, which was the most prevalent injury among survivors. The adjusted regression test revealed a significant relationship between severity of injury and variables such as living in the villages, education, and occupation (P-value < 0.05).

Conclusions:

Recognizing the mined areas and intensifying clearance measures are crucial for Kurdistan Province. Providing landmine awareness programs is likely to yield useful results in reducing casualties. Also, landmine survivors should have access to physical and social rehabilitation programs.

Keywords

landminesexplosionhealth impactcasualties
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , June 2020 , pp. 322 - 328
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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