Successful recovery from disasters and improvement of human health are two important objectives of national policy in the United States. Expert analysis, popular opinion and common sense suggest they should be mutually reinforcing activities, but discourse and actions have long proceeded more or less separately in both arenas, often in ways counterproductive to the achievement of policy objectives.

Disasters have impacts on health but the focus has long been on acute or immediate health aspects. But we are finding out, particularly since 9/11, Katrina and Sandy, that long term health effects are many and profound.