Abstract
Background and objective: Growing evidence is indicating that some of disaster affected people face challenges to resume normal life several months after an earthquake. However, there is no sufficient in-depth understanding of complex process of resuming normal life after an earthquake in Iran, as one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and in rural areas as a particular setting. This study aimed to explore challenges of return to normalcy in rural earthquake-stricken areas of Iran. Methods: The study was conducted using qualitative content analysis method (Graneheim approach). Twenty people from the earthquake-stricken areas and seven qualified experts were selected via purposeful sampling .Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and field notes from August 2013 to January 2014. Data collection continued to the point of data saturation (no new information was provided by interviewees). Data saturation supported the sample size. Data analysis was based on qualitative content analysis principles. Results: “Social uncertainty and confusion” was the most prominent challenge of return to the normal life after earthquake, which was categorized into six concepts of social vulnerability, lack of comprehensive rehabilitation plan, incomplete reconstruction, ignorance of local social capital, waste of assets, and psychological problems. Conclusions: Findings showed that social uncertainty and confusion occurs as a result of negligence of some important social aspects in process of returning to the normal life. This issue, in turn, can greatly interrupt the normal developmental processes. Understanding the challenges of life recovery after disasters will help policy makers consider social rehabilitation as a key factor in facilitation of return to normal life process after earthquakes. Keywords: Disaster; earthquake; social rehabilitation; social uncertainty.
Highlights
Disasters are of significant encounters for human societies worldwide and can have devastating social, medical, and public health consequences 1
Of 27 participants of the study, including survivors of the earthquake-stricken areas and the qualified people with relevant scientific expertise, the mean age was 41 years. 21 of participants were men, three were single, and the literacy level ranged from illiterate to postgraduate qualifications
This study identified six other main concepts related to participants’ main concerns: social vulnerability, lack of comprehensive rehabilitation plan, ignorance of local social capital, waste of assets, and psychological problems
Summary
Disasters are of significant encounters for human societies worldwide and can have devastating social, medical, and public health consequences 1. Many of the studies conducted in this field have not taken a comprehensive look at this process, and have usually focused only on one aspect such as psychological interventions after disasters, stress disorders after disasters[811], physical injuries 12,13, the role of social capital in reconstruction 14, and the role of community participation in physical reconstruction 15. The majority of rehabilitation plans are not comprehensive and there are limitations in adopted social approaches They usually do not appropriately consider the variable range of long-term physical and social needs of societies after disaster occurrence 16. Growing evidence is indicating that some of disaster affected people face challenges to resume normal life several months after an earthquake. There is no sufficient in-depth understanding of complex process of resuming normal life after an earthquake in Iran, as one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and in rural areas as a particular setting. This study aimed to explore challenges of return to normalcy in rural earthquake-stricken areas of Iran
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