Disaster Risk Reduction and the Social Determinants of Health

Disaster risk reduction encompasses practices that reduce exposure to hazards and decrease vulnerability of people and the environment. Such practices are founded on systematic efforts to identify and analyse the causal factors of disasters, rather than apply response designed actions post event. These initiatives represent close alignment with public health practice; further examination of this alignment may assist in strengthening disaster risk reduction and management planning. This PhD examined how the outcomes of disaster events upon an individual and/or a community is related to their underlying determinants of health. The assessment of the relationship of proposed strategies and the Social Determinants of Health facilitated by this PhD provides insight to an improved, holistic approach to disaster practice.