NYU GPH Journal of Public Health Disasters
A student-led journal driven by the latest research in public health disaster preparedness and management.
The 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, led to the death of 49 people and 53 wounded. The attack at Pulse, an LGBTQ+ nightclub, remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks, mass shootings, and hate crimes in U.S. history.
Continue reading “Deshara Thomas’ Case Study on the 2016 Pulse Nightclub Shooting”
On January 12, 2010, Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. More than 220,000 people died, 300,000 were injured, and 1.5 were left displaced or homeless. The quake was one of the deadliest natural disasters in the 21st century.
Continue reading “Lexie Zinselmeier’s Case Study on the Haiti Earthquake “
On September 1, 2021, remnants of Hurricane Ida brought record-breaking landfall to New York City. The intense rain led to severe flooding, resulting in 14 deaths and over 30,000 damaged structures. Most of the casualties were Asian immigrants living in unregulated basement apartments.
Continue reading “Olivia Morris’ Case Study on Hurricane Ida in New York City”
On August 3, 2019, 21-year-old Patrick Crusius entered a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, carrying an AR-47-style semi-automatic rifle. He killed 23 and injured 22 civilians in what is considered the deadliest attack on Hispanic people in modern U.S. history. Crusius has since pleaded guilty and is serving 90 consecutive life sentences.
Continue reading “Josephine Edery’s Case Study on the El Paso Walmart Shooting”
On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. He killed 20 children and seven adults, including his mother, before taking his own life. The event sparked several debates on gun control, mental health, and initiatives to improve school safety.
Continue reading “Kelsee Katsanes’ Case Study on the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting”
2024 has proven to be a historic hurricane season, with Hurricane Milton being the fifth strongest hurricane in the Atlantic and producing a record-breaking 126 tornado warnings for the state of Florida. Subsequently, Hurricane Helene made news around the world as the deadliest and costliest hurricane to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Helene caused historic damage to parts of the southeastern U.S., especially western North Carolina, as news of the catastrophic flooding continues to spread around the globe. Experts and observers are wondering how Helene was able to cause such a high level of flooding so far from where it made landfall in Florida.
Continue reading “Hurricane Helene and Milton’s Destructive Paths”
In 1993, the Southwestern region of the Four Corners, where the borders of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah meet, had nearly 30 cases of acute hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and 16 deaths from Sin Nombre Virus (SNV), caused by deer mice. As the region overlaps with the Navajo Nation, the Navajo people faced public shame for the rise in the disease, and were blamed for its consequences.
Continue reading “Samantha Whitegeese’s Case Study on 1993 Four Corners Hantavirus Outbreak”
Tropical cyclones indirectly cause long-term effects on mortality for years beyond the initial event, according to a new study published in the journal Nature. The study, published on October 2, is particularly relevant in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, which hit the Southeastern U.S. in September and October, respectively.
Continue reading “Tropical Cyclones Indirectly Trigger Deaths for Years, Study Says”
On October 8, 2024, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Beccerra, declared a public health emergency in Florida as Hurricane Milton reached the coast. Hurricane Milton is said to be the strongest hurricane since Hurricane Rita in 2005 and the strongest hurricane to reach Tampa in the last 100 years, with winds reaching 180mph. The destruction caused 24 deaths and left millions without power. Thankfully, the declaration of a public health emergency reduced the potential destruction Milton could have left in its path.
So, what is the declaration of a public health emergency, and how does it benefit the public?
Continue reading “Hurricane Milton: A Public Health Emergency”
The World Health Organization declared a mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in the summer of 2024. Over 15,000 cases and 550 deaths were reported in the DRC alone, leading WHO to use the emergency declaration.
Continue reading “Felipe Garcia’s Case Study on Mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo”