Abstract
BackgroundAssistance from non-professional disaster volunteers (hereinafter, volunteers) is essential for disaster victims to recover physically and rebuild their lives; however, disaster victims in some areas are reluctant to accept assistance from volunteers. This study explored factors that may influence collaborative activities between volunteers and victims of earthquake disasters.MethodsFrom July to September 2008, a self-reporting questionnaire survey was conducted with all 302 leaders of neighborhood associations in a city within Niigata Prefecture at the time of the Niigataken Chuetsu-oki Earthquake in 2007. Each factor was determined based on the Health Belief Model. Multiple regression analysis was conducted, using collaborative activities as the objective variable.ResultsFrom 261 valid responses received (response rate 86.4%), 41.3% of leaders collaborated with volunteers, and 60.2% of associations had residents who collaborated with volunteers. Collaboration with volunteers was significantly and positively related to perceived severity of an earthquake disaster (standardized partial regression coefficient β = 0.224, p<0.001) and neighborhood association activities during the earthquake disaster (β = 0.539, p<0.001). A positive and marginally significant relation was found between such collaboration and sense of coherence within a community (β = 0.137, p = 0.06), social capital (β = 0.119, p = 0.08), and perceived benefits (β = 0.116, p = 0.09).ConclusionCollaboration between disaster victims and volunteers during the response to an earthquake may require the preemptive estimation of damage by residents during normal times and the enhancement of neighborhood association activities during a disaster. For residents to have such estimation abilities, public institutions should provide information related to anticipated disaster damage and appropriate disaster prevention training and education. In addition, residents should create a disaster prevention map with other residents. Lastly, promoting neighborhood association activities may require the participation of many residents in disaster drills and education as well as a preemptive discussion of neighborhood activities during a disaster.
Highlights
The natural conditions of Japan, including its geographical position, geographical formations, and geology, mean it is prone to earthquake disasters
92.9% of neighborhood association leaders routinely talked with residents about local problems such as the environment, disaster prevention, and crime prevention during normal times [10]
The leaders were selected as study subjects because they themselves were disaster victims and were well acquainted with their neighborhood and able to empathize with disaster victims
Summary
The natural conditions of Japan, including its geographical position, geographical formations, and geology, mean it is prone to earthquake disasters. Japan is left vulnerable to such disasters due to its aging population, weakening of community ties, overcrowding of cities, and depopulation of rural areas In circumstances such as these, neighborhood associations, recognized as ‘‘groups formed by neighborhood ties’’ [1], conduct disaster prevention activities on a regular basis. Unlike the government’s response to standard and common needs which is characterized by limited personnel and points of assistance, disaster volunteers are capable of flexibly responding, in large numbers, to the diverse needs of victims. Their activities are an absolute necessity [2]. This study explored factors that may influence collaborative activities between volunteers and victims of earthquake disasters
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