The Journal of Korean Society of Community-Based Occupational Therapy Vol.6 No.2 pp.21-30
The Role of Occupational Therapist in Disaster Management
Key Words : Disaster,Earthquake,Heath,Humanitarian recovery,Occupational therapy
Abstract
Objective : In October 2016, the most powerful earthquake, magnitude 5.1 and 5.8 struck the city of Gyeongju in Korea. Although it did not take a toll, this implicates potential disaster in the future. Taking this earthquake, this paper considers the healthcare system responding to disaster in non-government organization and other countries, and investigates the roles of occupational therapist in disaster management. Methods : This paper reviews literature related to healthcare system and roles of occupational therapist in disaster response. Results : Humanitarian recovery mission of Red Cross impacted and facilitated the recovery of vulnerable population including children, elderly and people with disabilities in disaster response. It was also emphasized by occurring large population with disabilities after disasters so that the concept of rehabilitation and occupational therapist's role was required. Occupational therapy practitioners play an important role in the stage of disaster preparedness, response and recovery and their target population is children, elderly and people with disabilities. Conclusion : The most of NGO and counties take the concept of rehabilitation into healthcare system responding to disaster. However, the system in Korea stays in emergency level. It is important to take the humanitarian recovery and rehabilitation concept to disaster relief. the survivors would be able to return to their normalcy and health life.