The Role of Healthcare in Public Health Risk and Disaster Management: Strategies for Mitigation and Response

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Factors and Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1725

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Disaster Management and Environmental Security, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade, Gospodara Vučića 50, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia
2. Safety and Disaster Studies, Department of Environmental and Energy Process Engineering, Montanuniversität of Leoben, Franz Josef-Straße 18, 8700 Leoben, Austria
3. Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management, Dimitrija Tucovića 121, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: disaster; crises; risk; hazard; natural hazard; man-made hazard; security; disaster risk management; management; healthcare

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

We are delighted to invite you to contribute to our Special Issue, The Role of Healthcare in Public Health Risk and Disaster Management: Strategies for Mitigation and Response. As disasters—both natural and human-made—become more frequent and severe, the role of healthcare systems in disaster risk management has never been more critical. The capacity of healthcare systems to anticipate, mitigate, and respond effectively is fundamental to minimizing health impacts, reducing mortality, and safeguarding societal well-being. In a time when global health security is a pressing concern, strengthening healthcare’s preparedness and response strategies is more essential than ever. This Special Issue seeks to highlight innovative strategies, frameworks, and practical interventions that enhance healthcare resilience in disaster and public health risk management. Aligning with the journal’s multidisciplinary approach, we welcome contributions that address emergency preparedness, risk mitigation, and healthcare system adaptation in the face of public health crises. Submissions should offer valuable insights into best practices, policy recommendations, and emerging technologies that support effective disaster response within healthcare systems. We invite original research articles and review papers covering, but not limited to, the following topics:      

  • Strengthening healthcare system resilience in disaster risk management;
  • Strategies and frameworks for emergency medical response;
  • Integrating healthcare into multi-hazard early warning systems;
  • Risk perception and crisis communication within healthcare settings;
  • Public health preparedness and mitigation approaches;
  • Lessons from past disaster responses and global health crises;
  • The role of digital health technologies in disaster response and recovery.

We look forward to your valuable contributions and appreciate your expertise in advancing this critical field.

Prof. Dr. Vladimir Cvetković
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • disaster risk management
  • public health emergencies
  • healthcare resilience
  • emergency medical response
  • crisis preparedness
  • risk mitigation strategies
  • health security
  • natural and man-made hazards
  • disaster preparedness and response
  • health system sustainability

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

36 pages, 8353 KB  
Article
Spatial–Temporal Trends of Cancer Among Women in Central Serbia, 1999–2021: Implications for Disaster and Public Health Preparedness
by Emina Kričković, Vladimir M. Cvetković, Zoran Kričković and Tin Lukić
Healthcare 2025, 13(17), 2169; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172169 (registering DOI) - 30 Aug 2025
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Cancer is a major public health burden in Serbia and a factor influencing long-term disaster readiness by straining health system capacity. This study examined spatial and temporal trends in incidence and mortality for eight major cancers among women in Central Serbia (1999–2021) [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Cancer is a major public health burden in Serbia and a factor influencing long-term disaster readiness by straining health system capacity. This study examined spatial and temporal trends in incidence and mortality for eight major cancers among women in Central Serbia (1999–2021) to inform targeted prevention and preparedness strategies. Methods: Standardised rates from national datasets were analysed using the Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope estimator. Geographic disparities were mapped in ArcGIS Pro 3.2. Mortality trends were assessed only for statistically reliable series. Results: Breast cancer incidence increased in six counties, while cervical cancer declined in several areas, likely reflecting screening success. Colorectal, bladder, pancreatic, and lung and bronchus cancers showed rising incidence; lung and bronchus cancer mortality increased in 16 counties, indicating growing demand for chronic respiratory care. These shifts may reduce surge capacity during disasters by increasing the baseline burden on healthcare infrastructure. Regional disparities highlight uneven system resilience. Conclusions: Aligning cancer control measures—especially for high-burden cancers like lung—with emergency preparedness frameworks is essential to strengthen health system resilience, particularly in resource-limited regions. Full article
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