Knowledge, Attitude, and Readiness to Practice Disaster Preparedness among University Health Students: Insights from Resource-Poor Setting

Abstract

University health students as future healthcare personnel need to be prepared to play a vital role in disaster management. Therefore, knowledge, skills, and training in emergencies and disasters are imperative for effective responses. However, their knowledge, attitude, and readiness to practice levels of disaster medicine are not well studied in Yemen. This study aimed to evaluate the current knowledge, attitude, and readiness to practice (KArP) regarding disaster medicine management and preparedness among Yemeni health students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among health students at Aden University. A validated structured questionnaire on the KArP level of disaster medicine was used in the survey. In addition to descriptive statistics, parametric tests (independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis) or nonparametric tests were used when appropriate. P-values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Two hundred fifty health students participated in this study. The levels of knowledge, attitude, and readiness to practice were moderate. Knowledge and attitude levels are significantly correlated and predict readiness to practice. The levels of knowledge, positive attitude, and readiness to practice among the healthcare students regarding disaster management and preparedness were moderate, i.e., far from highly satisfactory. Novelty/Improvement: This study provides insight into the importance of including disaster management education and training in university curricula.