Mass fatality preparedness among medical examiners/coroners in the United States: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In the United States (US), Medical Examiners and Coroners (ME/Cs) have the legal authority for the management of mass fatality incidents (MFI). Yet, preparedness and operational capabilities in this sector remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was twofold; first, to identify appropriate measures of preparedness, and second, to assess preparedness levels and factors significantly associated with preparedness.

Methods

Three separate checklists were developed to measure different aspects of preparedness: MFI Plan Elements, Operational Capabilities, and Pre-existing Resource Networks. Using a cross-sectional study design, data on these and other variables of interest were collected in 2014 from a national convenience sample of ME/C using an internet-based,

SUBMITTER: Gershon RR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4320632 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature