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Joan Stephenson, PhD

JAMA. 2008;300(3):271.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Health priorities in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck southwest China on May 12 include communicable disease surveillance and control, ensuring a safe water and food supply, long-term physical rehabilitation of the injured and disabled patients, immediate and long-term mental health and psychosocial support, and other important services, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As of June 19, 69 180 individuals had been killed, 374 008 were injured, and 17 406 remained missing (http://www.wpro.who.int/sites/eha/disasters/emergency_reports/).

With no major outbreaks of infectious diseases or other public health emergencies reported in the wake of the disaster, health experts are turning their attention to the growing demand for mental health care. Hans Troedsson, MD, the WHO's China representative, said as many as 10% of those affected by the earthquake will need specific professional mental health services and that China had requested the agency's help in addressing this need, according . . . [Full Text of this Article]