Chronic disaster impact: the long-term psychological and physical health consequences of housing damage due to induced earthquakes.

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term (psychosomatic) health consequences of man-made earthquakes compared with a non-exposure control group. Exposure was hypothesised to have an increasingly negative impact on health outcomes over time.

Setting: Large-scale gas extraction in the Netherlands causing earthquakes and considerable damage.

Street temperature and building characteristics as determinants of indoor heat exposure.

Higher temperatures are associated with morbidity and mortality. Most epidemiological studies use outdoor temperature data, however, people spend most of their time indoors. Indoor temperatures and determinants of indoor temperatures have rarely been studied on a large scale.

Air pollution during New Year's fireworks and daily mortality in the Netherlands.

Short-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with cardiovascular and respiratory mortality and morbidity. Little is known about associations between air pollution caused by firework events and daily mortality. We investigated whether particulate matter from fireworks during New Year's celebrations was associated with daily mortality.

Where there's smoke, there's fire: focal points for risk communication.

Large fires involving hazardous materials are often characterized by failing crisis communication. In this study, we compared opinions of experts regarding the risks of major fires to lay beliefs using a mental models approach. Amongst lay people this revealed relevant knowledge gaps and beliefs in opposition to those held by experts.

The effect of high indoor temperatures on self-perceived health of elderly persons.

Introduction: Exposure to high ambient temperatures leads to an increase in mortality and morbidity, especially in the elderly. This relationship is usually assessed with outdoor temperature, even though the elderly spend most of their time indoors. Our study investigated the relationship between indoor temperature and heat-related health problems of elderly individuals.