As Tropical Cyclone Nathan menaces the far north Queensland coast, researchers say natural disaster recovery efforts should focus more on people with ongoing health conditions.
Scientists from James Cook University have released research on the after-effects of severe weather events after considering Cyclone Yasi in Queensland and Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans in the US in 2005.
Authorities focus on controlling communicable diseases and immediate trauma, the research found.
But this was despite a rarity of disease outbreaks in developed countries in the aftermath of storms.
The greater risk, according to the paper, is faced by people who need treatment for renal diseases.
There was a 47 per cent increase in mortality one year after hurricane Katrina attributable to ongoing health conditions, researcher Benjamin Ryan said.
"People with ongoing health conditions are at a greater risk of ill health and mortality after a disaster," he said.
"We recommend that disaster planning changes to focus on ongoing health conditions rather than communicable diseases."
There was no comparable data on mortality rates for Australia, the research noted.
But the common challenges faced by both Australia and the US in disaster recovery include communications, equipment and services, and treatment planning for patients with ongoing health conditions.
In Queensland, the most common conditions were cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes and renal diseases, Mr Ryan said.
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