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Background: Women are at higher risk of death during disasters due to physical, biological, psychological, and cultural differences. After a disaster, they experience more miscarriages, premature births, inadequate fetal growth, low birth weight, sexual violence, and unwanted pregnancies. This study aims to investigate the reproductive health status of women affected by the 2017 earthquake in Kermanshah, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018. The study population consists of women aged 15-49 years (Mean age=31.7 years) living in Sarpol-e Zahab, Javanrood, and Thalas Babajani towns in Kermanshah city affected by the earthquake in 2017. The questionnaire used for assessing the status of reproductive health in women was the Reproductive Health Assessment Questionnaire for Women of Reproductive Age, which has already been localized in Iran and its reliability and validity have been confirmed. Native Kurdish language experts completed the questionnaires on behalf of 396 participants. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the variables. Results: It was found that 42.4% of women complained of abnormal menstruation and 34.09% of limited menstrual hygiene materials. Sixty women were pregnant at the time of the earthquake, all of whom gave birth in hospital; two had miscarriages, two had premature births, and one had stillbirth. Urinary tract infection was the most common problem (21%) in pregnant women. Moreover, 48% of women used contraceptive methods after the earthquake, the most commonly used method was the use of contraceptive pills (23%). Access to contraception methods was difficult for 14.4% of them after the earthquake. Furthermore, 25% had experienced violence after the earthquake; of these, 30 reported physical violence, 86 verbal violence, and 13 sexual violence. Conclusion: The control of pregnancy and safe delivery in earthquake-affected areas of Kermanshah is relatively acceptable; however, the provision of reproductive health services seems to be challenging. It is recommended to pay attention to the menstrual hygiene of women and regular distribution of contraceptives (despite the current population growth plan), address sexual acts of violence, and develop a protocol to support the victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At the end of the 19th century, international communities have realized the necessity of global planning and cooperation. Accordingly, worldwide meetings have been organized for several years. This study aims to assess the achievement of predetermined objectives by international conferences in the field of risk management. Materials and Methods: The search for articles and documents was done using several keywords of "international meetings", "Sendai", "Hyogo", and "Yokohama" in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Google Scholar databases. Also, the risk management domain websites such as FEMA, UNISDR, and EM-Date were searched. Results: Three Disaster World Conferences have been organized, hosted by Japan: Yokohama 1994, Kobe 2005, and Sendai 2015. They proposed strategies and prioritized actions for managing disaster risk, reducing the risk of disasters, and coping with disasters. In the second and third conferences, as requested by the United Nations (UN General Assembly), the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) helped as the coordinating body. Conclusion: Reducing the risks of disasters is a global issue, which needs international cooperation. Therefore, all countries should take steps to achieve disaster risk reduction goals. Since declaraions, documents, resolutions, and conferences do not impose an obligation on countries in this regard, the success rate of the programs is dependent on voluntary international cooperation. Moreover, while we do not expect that outcomes of these international agreements related to disaster risk reduction be achieved at the scheduled time plan, strengthening the international cooperation of the countries to facilitate the improvement of actions and programs would be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Earthquake has always been a serious threat for humans' health and properties. In this regard, the most urgent services for people after the occurrence of incidents and disasters, especially earthquake, is health services. Iran due to its geographic location along the Alpine-Himalayan belt is vulnerable to the occurrence of earthquakes with magnitudes of 6 and 7 on the Richter scale. Prevention of earthquake is impossible; however, it is important to use the lessons learned to reduce the physical and financial damages in similar future incidents. This study was conducted with the objective of examining the lessons learned by the workgroup of Health and Treatment in response to 7.3 magnitude Kermanshah Province earthquake. Materials and Methods: In This case study, the triangulation method including interview, participatory observation and expert panel in three sections of prehospital emergency services, medical center, and health and treatment centers, was used to assess the performance of health and treatment workgroup in response to Kermanshah earthquake. For this purpose, in addition to recording the information resulting from observation by the researchers, the reports related to EOC (Emergency Operations Center) of Kermanshah and expert assessors were examined. Furthermore, interviews were conducted with experts, directors, commanders and responsible authorities in the field of incident and the State Emergency Organization central headquarters' staff. Finally, the collected data were analyzed. Results: Based on the study findings, the positive points were the rapid response by the Emergency and Health system organization, effective command on the scene of incident from the first moments, fine management of human resources and the injured within reasonable time, dispatching more than 7350 injured people to treatment centers in less than 20 hours, carrying out 1980 successful operations in less than 3 days, establishing and running 6 mobile hospitals in less than 12 hours, complete supply of blood and blood derivatives, medicines, equipments and specialist force, and sustainability of health and treatment services in less than 24 hours. However, the most important problems were deficiency in protocol, absence of special assessment team and failure to use rapid assessment national standard, lack of national response plan in crisis management and the high vulnerability of hospitals' infrastructures. Conclusion: Although in this earthquake, thanks to positive steps taken by health and treatment workgroup, great progress was observed in response operations in the area of health; based on the study findings, there are challenges that the health system should resolve in order to improve health services in incidents and disasters. Developing the emergency organization and especially emergency air service, advancement of the status of the State Crisis Management Organization, accurate planning for aid services such as temporary sheltering and provision of latrines and bath and establishing mobile hospitals under unified management are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]