Assessing knowledge of emergency preparedness and its association with social demographic characteristics among people located in flood-prone areas of Chibavi and Chiputula in Mzuzu City, northern Malawi

Abstract

Knowledge of flood preparedness ensures that community members in flood-prone areas properly prepare for floods and respond effectively when flooding occurs. Limited research has been conducted on knowledge of flood preparedness in flood-prone areas in Mzuzu City in the northern part of Malawi. Therefore, the study aimed to explore the knowledge of emergency preparedness and associated social demographic characteristics among people in Chibavi and Chiputula's flood-prone areas in Mzuzu City, Northern Malawi. A cross-sectional descriptive design utilising a multistage sampling technique was used to recruit 241 participants in 2018. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaire was adapted from the Measuring Community Awareness and Preparedness Model and validated with Cronbach's Alpha of 0.847. SPSS version 16 was used for analysing percentages and frequencies to determine the proportion of people with knowledge of emergency preparedness. Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact Test were used to measure the association between social demographic characteristics and knowledge of emergency preparedness. Findings indicated that 61.4 % of participants lacked knowledge of emergency preparedness, and there was a significant association (0.044) between the level of education and knowledge of emergency preparedness. Although males were more knowledgeable than females, there was no significant association between gender and knowledge (0.712) and marital status and knowledge (0.581). This research showed that people in the two settings in Mzuzu City needed knowledge of emergency preparedness for floods. There is a need for clear plans to teach communities and families about emergency flood preparedness to ensure a common understanding of emergency preparedness, which will enhance collaboration among community members and prevent unnecessary deaths.