Paper short abstract:

This paper presents the collaboration between Anthropology and Public Health following a severe natural disaster. A follow-up of the new global climate changes resulting in disasters must become a priority task for anthropologists in the course of sustaining the dignity of the affected.

Paper long abstract:

Population level studies provide a natural background for beneficial partnership between Anthropology and Public health. Anthropology is gaining a widespread recognition of being a "valuable tool" for studying and addressing Public Health problems as its findings can help us understand numerous processes in a population. On this base a cooperation was endorsed between these professions. Today, there is a necessity of working together across all levels to understand illness and disease processes of populations on national, regional and local levels.

In this context I present my work in the Institute of Public Health devoted to the big natural catastrophe on 18th, Sept., 2007 in Selška valley, under mountain Ratitovec, which has served many years as an anthropological research model. Locations of Železniki and Zali were struck, with 6 people dead and an enormous property loss. Water flooded 206 residential houses and 5 apartment blocks, depriving 310 households of livelihood. Our immediate response included cooperation with Public Health services, Civil protection and epidemiologists, proposing control measures in line with the assessed risk. An anthropological study of the quality of life of the populations in the aftermath of this disaster was initiated. The household members were interviewed, also including physical check-ups. Increased incidence of hypertension showed that the affected populations were under severe mental pressure with high probability of long term harmful health effects. Potential health hazards due to the remaining moister (mould) are continuous. In cooperation with local physicians we are still pursuing to expose the severity of all these problems.