How Can the Experience of a Terrorist Attack Inform Public Health Priorities? Some Lessons from the London 7/7 Bombings

Abstract

This chapter will examine the impact of terrorism on the physical and mental health of victims, and the insights this provides for the public health needs of urban populations facing ongoing terrorist threat. The main focus will be health outcome studies following the terrorist attacks on London on 7 July 2005 (known as the 7/7 Bombings). Qualitative accounts of individuals who survived the 7/7 Bombings, epidemiological data on physical and psychological injuries and satisfaction with and outcome of psychological screening and treatment offered to victims with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will be shared. These encapsulate the direct experiences of victims and health professionals after this particular terrorist attack and comparison with similar attacks in other cities are made. Firstly, our aim is to present evidence that demonstrates the need to have emergency public health protocols that facilitate the proactive and coordinated tracing of all victims, minutes to months, after a terrorist attack, to offer health assessment, monitoring and treatment and, thereby, facilitate robust data for much-needed epidemiological research. Secondly, we aim to show that outreach to victims must involve government and non-government agencies, the media and, arguably, the Internet, as normal referral routes to healthcare cannot be assumed to be reliable.