Abstract
e18729 Background: Climate change is altering the frequency and behavior of extreme weather events making it harder for institutions to prepare and respond to increasingly unpredictable circumstances. Emergency preparedness efforts are crucial for meeting the health and safety needs of patients, providers, healthcare facilities, and communities before, during, and after a disaster. National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers are at the forefront of quality cancer care and research, have greater access to resources through accreditation, and are nationally distributed, collectively acquiring a range of emergency preparedness and response experiences on a variety of disasters nationwide. This study evaluated emergency preparedness information provided in NCI-designated Cancer Centers’ websites. Methods: We systematically searched NCI-Designated Cancer Centers’ websites for the presence of information on emergency preparedness and response instructions, resources, and research efforts in September 2022. Results: Out of 71 centers, all (100%) were impacted by a climate-driven disaster between 2016 and 2020, 56 (78.9%) presented some emergency preparedness information, and 36 (50.7%) presented information specific to individuals diagnosed with cancer, all of which included information relevant for the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, only 17 (23.9%) of centers’ websites provided emergency preparedness information relevant for climate-driven disasters, and only 7 (9.5%) provided information on emergency preparedness for climate-driven disaster specific for individuals diagnosed with cancer. Just one center (1.4%) mentioned ongoing research on emergency preparedness for cancer patients. None of the centers provided emergency preparedness or response information in a centralized and structured manner. Conclusions: Emergency preparedness research efforts and information sharing on NCI-Designated Cancer Centers’ websites has not kept pace with the challenges posed by climate change. Prioritizing research efforts and structured information sharing of emergency preparedness and response expertise will be crucial to ensure receipt of quality cancer care in the era of compounding disasters.
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