[Public health measures during the flu pandemic in the period 1918-1920 in Spain]
- PMID: 33006327
[Public health measures during the flu pandemic in the period 1918-1920 in Spain]
Abstract
Background: The 1918 influenza epidemic was an event of great social and health resonance, which caused high morbidity and mortality in the population. The rapidity in the development of symptoms, the extension to very large groups of the population and the lack of knowledge of the causative agent, were the factors that, added together, made the flu a major public health problem. The objective of this study was to review, through the Spanish written press, of the public health measures adopted as a consequence of the influenza epidemic of 1918.
Methods: A selection of the Spanish press was carried out through the Digital Newspaper Library of the National Library (HDBN) of Spain, from January 1, 1918 to December 31, 1920; and the concept "flu" was searched, selecting those units of analysis that made reference to the public health measures adopted during the flu epidemic of 1918.
Results: The newspapers analyzed reported the public health measures adopted by the health authorities of the different countries in order to reduce the spread of the epidemic, such as the closure of schools and the postponement of the opening of the academic year, disinfection of premises, quarantines, isolation, suspension, popular celebrations, disinfection and hygiene, border control, suspension of communications by train, as well as the creation and use of different vaccines and serums to immunize the population.
Conclusions: The poor management of the epidemic could be one of the causes of the great impact of influenza in the first half of October 1918, as the decisions of the administration to promote public health measures were adopted with some delay.
Objetivo: La epidemia de gripe de 1918 fue un evento de gran resonancia sociosanitaria, que provocó una elevada morbilidad y mortalidad en la población. La rapidez en el desarrollo de los síntomas, la extensión a grupos muy amplios de la población y el desconocimiento del agente causal, fueron los factores que, sumados, confirieron a la gripe un carácter de importante problema de salud pública. El objetivo de este estudio fue revisar, a través de la prensa escrita española, las medidas de salud pública adoptadas como consecuencia de la epidemia de gripe de 1918.
Metodos: Se realizó una selección de prensa española a través de la Hemeroteca Digital de la Biblioteca Nacional (HDBN) de España, desde el 1 de enero de 1918 al 31 de diciembre de 1920; y se buscó el concepto “gripe”, seleccionando aquellas unidades de análisis que hacían referencia a las medidas de salud pública adoptadas durante la epidemia de gripe de 1918.
Resultados: Los periódicos analizados informaron de las medidas de salud pública adoptadas por las autoridades sanitarias de los diferentes países con el fin de reducir la propagación de la epidemia, como el cierre de las escuelas y el aplazamiento de la apertura del curso académico, la desinfección de locales, cuarentenas, aislamiento, suspensión de fiestas populares, desinfección e higiene, control de fronteras, suspensión de comunicaciones por tren, así como la creación y uso de diferentes vacunas y sueros para inmunizar a la población.
Conclusiones: La deficiente gestión de la epidemia pudo ser una de las causas del gran impacto de la gripe en la primera quincena del mes de octubre de 1918, pues las decisiones de la administración para impulsar medidas de salud pública fueron adoptadas con cierto retraso.
Keywords: Epidemic; Flu; Pandemic; Press; Public health; Spain.
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