Disease Burden in the Context of Disasters: Insights from Over 6.7 million Respondents in the Bangladesh Disaster-Related Statistics of 2021.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to explore the burden of disasters and adverse health outcomes during and following disasters in Bangladesh.

METHODS

We analyzed 6 788 947 respondents' data from a cross-sectional and nationally representative 2021 Bangladesh Disaster-related Statistics (BDRS). The key explanatory variables were the types of disasters respondents faced, while the outcome variables were the disease burden during and following disasters. Descriptive statistics were used to determine disease burden. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model assessed the association between disease burden and disaster types, along with socio-demographic characteristics of respondents.

RESULTS

Nearly 50% of respondents experienced diseases during disasters, rising to 53.4% afterward. Fever, cough and diarrhea were prevalent during and after disasters, with increases in skin diseases, malnutrition, and asthma post-disaster. Vulnerable groups, such as children aged 0-4, hijra individuals, those with lower education, people with disabilities, and rural residents, especially in Chattogram, Rangpur, and Sylhet divisions, were most affected. Floods, cyclones, thunderstorms, and hailstorms significantly increased disease likelihood during and after disasters.

CONCLUSIONS

The study underscores the complex relationship between disasters and health outcomes in Bangladesh, stressing the need for targeted public health interventions, improved health care infrastructure, and evidence-based policies to mitigate disaster-related health risks.