Assessment Of Disaster Preparedness Research Articles

Disaster Preparedness amongst Schools Teachers: A Holistic Approach towards Development of a Research Tool

The Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF) is a complete strategy for creating safe learning environments for administrators, teachers, students, and school staff. The CSS framework has three pillars: safe learning facilities, school disaster management, and risk reduction and resilience education. This study was conducted to develop a research tool to assess disaster preparedness among school teachers using the Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF). A questionnaire was developed by the researcher, which had 27 items. There were 320 school teachers selected from 64 schools. On the basis of factor analysis, there were seven factors found for the disaster preparedness of school teachers: online learning and emergency preparedness, local risk awareness, physical safety and infrastructure, organization disaster management, online teaching readiness, active learning and disaster training, general awareness, and immediate response. The tool developed by the research was named disaster preparedness and risk reduction (DPRR). This tool is validated and reliable on the basis of factor analysis for the assessment of disaster preparedness amongst school teachers.

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness at the Household Level in a Pediatric Cardiology Clinic Population.

Natural and human-provoked disasters pose serious health risks to children, particularly children and youth with special healthcare needs, including many cardiology patients. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides preparedness recommendations for families, but little is known about recommendation adherence. Caregivers of children seen in a pediatric cardiology clinic network were recruited to complete an electronic survey. Participants self-reported child medical history and their household's implementation of AAP recommended disaster preparedness items. Families received a link to AAP resources and a child ID card. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. 320 caregivers participated in the study, of whom 124 (38.8%) indicated that their child has a diagnosed cardiac condition, and 150 (46.9%) indicated that their child had special healthcare needs. The average preparedness item completion rate was 70.7% for household preparedness, 40.1% for reunification preparedness, and 26.3% for community preparedness. Households of children with medical needs had similar rates of preparedness compared to overall rates. Of all respondents, 27.8% previously received disaster preparedness resources, 67.7% would like resources on discussing disaster preparedness, and 93.0% intend to talk with their household about disaster preparedness after completing the survey. These results demonstrate a gap between AAP recommendations and household-level disaster preparedness, including patients with cardiac conditions and those with special healthcare needs. Families expressed that they were interested in getting resources for disaster preparedness. Pediatric cardiologists may consider asking about disaster preparedness and providing disaster preparedness resources tailored to the needs of their patients.

Community-based education: An effective policy for earthquake preparedness in Iran: Empirical study.

As natural or man-made shocks, disasters are sudden events that require emergency and fundamental measures. The need to be prepared for disasters has become clearer than ever worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the effect of earthquake preparedness training using the face-to-face or cascade method in rural households living in Juybar County (Iran) in 2018. Following an experimental design with a pretest and posttest, the study was performed on married women aged 10-49 living in Kurdkolay village of Juybar county (n = 372). Participants were randomly categorized into two groups of training (n = 95) and face-to-face cascade method (n = 95). Data were collected using the Disaster Preparedness Assessment Index, comprising demographic and education sections. Data were collected using the disaster preparedness assessment index and analyzed using SPSS version 24. The findings indicated improved preparedness in all five dimensions in both groups. There was a significant difference between the study groups immediately and one week after the intervention (P < 0.05); i.e. a higher impact for the face-to-face cascade method. Meanwhile, both groups presented a similar level of preparedness 90 days after receiving the intervention (P > 0.05). The face-to-face cascade method was more effective in the short term, while no difference was found in the long term. Crisis managers and policymakers should choose their preferred method based on available facilities, human resources, and context to increase preparedness against earthquakes. Mothers play a vital role in educating and nurturing their children. It is suggested to conduct educational programs at the community level using the most appropriate methods that are chosen based on the best evidence.

Measuring Resilience of a Tourism Village Against Flash Flood Disaster

One of the most popular tourist destinations in East Java is Batu City, which had been visited by 2.4 million tourists in 2021 during the pandemic, regardless of the fact that 7.2 million tourists normally have visited the city annually before the outbreak. Flash floods that struck Batu City in November 2021 resulted in significant damage and losses which affected several tourism villages. The preparedness of Batu City for potential natural catastrophes was identified throughout this study. It is essential to think of both technological and non-technical ways as preventive measures before a tragedy arises, given how eager travelers are to visit Batu City. Several city-scale analyses are conducted, notably by doing spatial analysis with the use of GIS technology in order to understand land use and probable flow routes. A livelihood asset analysis was used as a methodological and indicator assessment of disaster preparedness in one of the Resilient Village (Destana). The findings indicate that land conversion in production and protected forest areas change into agricultural areas is one factor that triggers flash floods. After a ten-year decline, only 20% of the forest stands are left in hilly and steep terrain, with the rest being farmland and human settlements. Meanwhile, an assessment of the community preparedness in the Tourism Village reveals that the community has a strong capability in terms of financial, social, and natural capital.

Measuring Resilience of a Tourism Village Against Flash Flood Disaster

One of the most popular tourist destinations in East Java is Batu City, which had been visited by 2.4 million tourists in 2021 during the pandemic, regardless of the fact that 7.2 million tourists normally have visited the city annually before the outbreak. Flash floods that struck Batu City in November 2021 resulted in significant damage and losses which affected several tourism villages. The preparedness of Batu City for potential natural catastrophes was identified throughout this study. It is essential to think of both technological and non-technical ways as preventive measures before a tragedy arises, given how eager travelers are to visit Batu City. Several city-scale analyses are conducted, notably by doing spatial analysis with the use of GIS technology in order to understand land use and probable flow routes. A livelihood asset analysis was used as a methodological and indicator assessment of disaster preparedness in one of the Resilient Village (Destana). The findings indicate that land conversion in production and protected forest areas change into agricultural areas is one factor that triggers flash floods. After a ten-year decline, only 20% of the forest stands are left in hilly and steep terrain, with the rest being farmland and human settlements. Meanwhile, an assessment of the community preparedness in the Tourism Village reveals that the community has a strong capability in terms of financial, social, and natural capital.

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness and Related Knowledge Among Senior High Students in Del Pilar National High School, Cabadbaran City, Agusan Del Norte, Philippines

The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) are put into practice by the Department of Education (DepEd). It aimed to increase students’ degree of resilience to natural disasters by integrating Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) into the curricula and other educational programs. This study was conducted to assess the disaster preparedness and related knowledge among Senior High School students of Del Pilar National High School in Cabadbaran City. A total of 120 respondents from Grades 11 and Grade 12 were subjected to the study. An adapted and modified survey questionnaire was utilized to collect the data. A five-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the responses. The results obtained high disaster preparedness (WM- 3.88) and disaster-related-knowledge indicators (WM- 3.53) with its verbal interpretation of Prepared. This indicates a helpful indicator that the students in the study area were equipped with disaster management. While a significant correlation P&lt; 0.0001 between age to disaster preparedness and related knowledge has been obtained. This indicates a strong relationship that age is an important factor in influencing disaster management. Further, results obtained from a high level of participants showed related knowledge, preparedness, and awareness of disasters associated with the use of effective, safe, and standardized methods. Employing the study emphasizes readiness, and resiliency while assessing the knowledge among the students in responding to the disaster. Thus, it presented information for students to improve and sustain their level of disaster preparedness to ensure safety on the school premises.

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness and Related Knowledge Among Senior High Students in Del Pilar National High School, Cabadbaran City, Agusan Del Norte, Philippines

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness and Related Knowledge Among Senior High Students in Del Pilar National High School, Cabadbaran City, Agusan Del Norte, Philippines

Scoping Review of Exploring Primary Health Care Providers Services to Increase Vulnerable Population Disaster Preparedness

Introduction:Primary healthcare providers (PHCPs) are uniquely positioned to evaluate and increase vulnerable patients' disaster preparedness, in that they have detailed information about their medical needs, resources, and limitations. Nevertheless, it is still unclear what their roles and services are in this field. This study aimed to review the literature on PHCPs services to prepare the vulnerable population for disasters.Method:MEDLINE, Scopus, and PubMed databases were searched. Inclusion criteria include peer-reviewed articles published in English with no restriction on publication date. In order to obtain a broad perspective on the subject, the study type was not limited. The retrieved articles were imported into EndNote Reference Manager to manage duplications. Then, the reference lists of retrieved articles were checked for the relevance of the title and abstract. Lastly, fulltext articles identified were inspected against the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was performed to consolidate the commonalities in PHCPs roles and services for disater preparedness.Results:From the database search, 2193 articles were retrieved and 844 duplications were eliminated. Afterwards, 1349 articles were screened based on title and abstract, 49 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 22 full-text articles were included. The six themes associated with services provided by PHCPs were emerged as follows: identifying vulnerable groups and assisting them in disaster planning, providing written materials and/or recommendations; protecting vulnerable population’ records; educating staff, vulnerable clients, and their caregivers; coordinating disaster planning and response across agencies; routine assessment of disaster preparedness, and planning for evacuation.Conclusion:This scoping review reveals that the literature on PHCPs services to improve vulnerable populations’ disaster preparedness is limited. Consequently, there is a need for scientific research to increase the existing capabilities of PHCPs for vulnerable population disaster preparedness and identify barriers and facilitators affecting their coordination with disaster management agencies.

Disaster preparedness assessment in emergency department: a cross-sectional study

Disaster preparedness assessment in emergency department: a cross-sectional study

Disaster Preparedness Assessment Tools of Structural Performance for Indonesian School Buildings

It has been recorded so far that the earthquake in Indonesia has damaged many publicfacilities and claimed many victims. Most cases of casualties were not caused directly by the earthquake but as a result of falling debris from buildings that were unable to respond to the earthquake. To avoid similar incidents in the future, all buildingsin Indonesia need to be inspected and ensured that they are safe from the threat of an earthquake, and school buildings are no exception. The absence of a specific assessment tool for earthquake-resistant school buildings underlies this research. The assessment tool was developed based on the results of a literature review of several building inspection standards in various countries. Several research variables that were previously identified were then validated and processed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process method. Some experts in related fields were involved in the process to formulate the significant variables, the respective weights as well as scoring systems. This research produced a preliminary assessment tool in two parts. The first one, which emphasizes examination by visual method, is translated into four new categories: Building Slope Inspection, Sub-structure Component Inspection, Upper Structure Component Inspection, and Document Inspection, with 12 sub-categories and 28 indicators. Meanwhile, the second part emphasizes on the non-destructive testing as additional scores. It includes three types of tests for concrete and two tests for steel materials. Finally, the level of preparedness for the structural components of a good school building needs to meet a minimum score of 70.

Moving Forward: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Moving Forward: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Development of Hospital MCI and Disaster Preparedness Assessment Tool for Thailand.

IntroductionHospital preparedness is a key component to mitigate the effects of mass casualty incidents (MCIs) and disasters. Improving hospital preparedness requires an assessment of the country’s current health system capacity, readiness, and preparedness. Although a variety of assessment tools exist, none are entirely suitable for Thailand’s healthcare system.ObjectiveTo develop an assessment tool to evaluate hospital preparedness for MCI and disaster in Thailand.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 March 2015 to December 2016. The contents of the first drafted tool were prepared based on evidence from a systematic search of electronic databases published up to 31 December 2014. Key elements identification, extraction, and further organization were based on the World Health Organization health system framework. Validity was tested by experts and emergency management personnel in four domains using a 5-point scale evaluation form. The feasibility of using this assessment tool was carried out in 41 hospitals on a voluntary basis. The tool was considered valid if the item-objective congruence (IOC) index results were at least 0.6 and feasible for median values of at least 4.ResultsSeventy-six full texts and guidelines out of 5869 titles and abstracts from a systematic search were enrolled in the study. A constructive literature review was performed to develop a hospital assessment tool. The IOC index results of the assessment tool components were 1.0, 0.9, 0.7, and 1.0 in framework appropriateness, relevance of items, clearness, and usefulness, respectively. The median (interquartile range) values of framework appropriateness, relevance of items, clearness, and usefulness were 4.0 (4.0‒5.0), 4.3 (4.3‒4.5), 4.0 (4.0‒4.0), and 5.0 (4.0‒5.0), respectively.ConclusionAn assessment tool to evaluate hospital MCI and disaster preparedness based on the WHO health system framework was valid and feasible at the national level of Thailand.

Assessment of disaster preparedness at general hospitals in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Province, Western Region of Saudi Arabia: A study of pre intervention and post intervention test scores from 2017 to 2019.

Objectives:To evaluate the Ministry of Health (MoH) hospitals preparedness for potential disasters and crisis events using the World Health Organization (WHO) hospital emergency response checklist.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted at MoH hospitals in Al-Madina, Saudi Arabia using the WHO hospital emergency response checklist. The overall level of hospital preparedness was categorized as unacceptable if the rating is between 0-64, insufficient if it is between 65-129 and effective preparedness if the score is between 130-184. The study conducted in 3 phases. First phase, the preintervention assessment was conducted from August 23 to 27, 2017. Second phase, intervention strategies were implemented between 2018 and 2019 to enhance the hospitals preparedness for any potential disaster situation. Third phase, the postintervention assessment was conducted from September 5 to 7, 2019, using with the same checklist.Results:The preparedness score of key components at the participating hospitals showed an “insufficient” level of preparedness. The mean preparedness score of the participating hospitals was 81.5±11.39 (range: 65-91), which is lower than the recommended WHO cut-off level of effective preparedness. The preparedness score of the post-recovery component was very low 01±1.15 compared to the WHO range (0-18).Conclusion:A total of 4 hospitals participated in the study. The participated hospitals showed insufficient levels of preparedness for potential disasters and crisis events.

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness and Response Mechanism in Selected University Libraries in South-South Nigeria

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness and Response Mechanism in Selected University Libraries in South-South Nigeria

Peningkatan Kesiapsiagaan Anggota Nasyiatul Aisyiyah (NA) Cabang Ngawen Klaten Terhadap Bencana

Increasing the skills and abilities of individuals, families and communities in the face of disasters need to be carried out continuously, because of the high potential for threats and the increasing number of people exposed to disaster risk. Women have a strategic role in disaster management and are very effective in transferring their knowledge to the next generation. In this community service activity, the Nasyiatul Aisyiyah branch of Ngawen, Klaten, Central Java, chosen as a partner. The purpose of this activity is to improve women's preparedness capacity and to reduce people's exposure to disasters. The activities are not only in terms of physical preparedness but also spiritual preparedness. This community service activity consist of three stage, which are,the first stage is preliminary survey to assess the knowledge of participants on disaster preparedness, the second stage is giving disaster preparedness education with facilitators guidance, providing disaster preparedness pocket books, and discussions, and the final stage was an assessment of disaster preparedness after participants are given education/training. The assessment was done using a questionnaire. The result of the prelimanary survey show that the participant are at the level of moderate preparedness. The disaster preparedness education increasing all the disaster preparedness parameters index. The knowledge parameter index increased by 5%, the family preparedness plan parameter index increased by 15%, the parameter index of disaster warning knowledge increased by 6%, the resource mobilization parameter index increased by 10%. The socialization or simulation is needed about the importance of evacuation, relief and rescue, and campaign about the disaster is also needed through various media that are in accordance with the conditions of the community.

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness of Hospital in Mamasani, Iran

Background: Iran is among the top ten disaster-prone countries in the world because of its size, geographical location, and climatic diversity. Practically, the healthcare sector is an active part in disaster management and an integral part of the national health plan. This study aimed to determine the preparedness of the personnel to cope with natural disasters in Valiasr Hospital of Mamasani, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Valiasr Hospital, which has 100 beds. Data were collected using a 210-item researcher-made checklist. For each target, six domains of equipment, human resources, structure, physical space, protocol, and performance charts were considered. Face and content validities were used to confirm the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Results: The results of this study showed that the support unit scored the highest (69.45 %), followed by the command and management (66.16%) and education units (66%), respectively. Security units (51%), transportation (41.47%), and evacuation (40%) received the lowest score, respectively. Conclusion: The findings showed that the hospital under the study was in moderate level in preparedness for disaster. Improving the preparedness of hospitals for disasters will be possible with proper management of available resources and the use of update technologies.

Development and Initial Validation of a Stochastic Discrete Event Simulation to Assess Disaster Preparedness

Introduction:Assessing disaster preparedness in a given region is a complex problem. Current methods are often resource-intensive and may lack generalizability beyond a specific scenario. Computer-based stochastic simulations may be an additional method but would require systems that are valid, flexible, and easy to use. Emergo Train System (ETS) is an analog simulation system used for disaster preparedness assessments.Aim:To digitalize the ETS model and develop stochastic simulation software for improved disaster preparedness assessments.Methods:A simulation software was developed in C#. The simulation model was based on ETS. Preliminary verification and validation (V&amp;V) tests were performed, including unit and integration testing, trace validation, and a comparison to a prior analog ETS disaster preparedness assessment exercise.Results:The software contains medically validated patients from ETS and is capable of automatically running disaster scenarios with stochastic variations in the injury panorama, available resources, geographical location, and other variables. It consists of two main programs: an editor where scenarios can be constructed and a simulation system to evaluate the outcome. Initial V&amp;V testing showed that the software is reliable and internally consistent. The comparison to the analog exercise showed a general high agreement in terms of patient outcome. The analog exercise featured a train derailment with 397 injured, of which 45 patients suffered preventable death. In comparison, the computer simulation ran 100 iterations of the same scenario and indicated that a median of 41 patients (IQR 31 to 44) would suffer a preventable death.Discussion:Stochastic simulation methods can be a powerful complement to traditional capability assessments methods. The developed simulation software can be used for both assessing emergency preparedness with some validity and as a complement to analog capability assessment exercises, both as input and to validate results. Future work includes comparing the simulation to real disaster outcomes.

Disaster preparation in kidney transplant recipients: a questionnaire-based cohort study from a large United States transplant center .

Background: Few quantitative assessments have assessed disaster preparation in kidney transplant patients. This is a survey-based assessment of disaster preparedness of 200 patients at the University of California San Francisco, USA. Materials and methods: Patients answered questionnaires assessing their level of preparedness as well as barriers to preparation. Preparedness was scored based on response to 7 questions. Univariate analyses compared participant characteristics extracted from the medical chart against three tertiles of preparedness: low (scores 0 – 2), medium (scores 3 – 4), and high (scores 5 – 7). California counties were coded and mapped by average preparedness scores. Results: Only 30% of patients were highly prepared for disasters. Participants were prepared with available medication for 2 weeks (78.5%) and least prepared in having a medical ID bracelet (13%). Significant minorities of patients (40% of patients or more) were unprepared with lists of medications, important phone numbers and disaster kits. Preparedness was not associated with demographic and clinical characteristics. Monterey County was the most prepared of the 31 California counties sampled (score of 4.25 out of 7). Conclusion: All patients should be educated regarding disaster preparation. County and medical services should collaborate to address specialized populations in general preparedness planning.

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness Among Select Children’s Summer Camps in the United States

Assessment of Disaster Preparedness Among Select Children’s Summer Camps in the United States

Assessment of disaster preparedness among emergency departments in Italian hospitals: a cautious warning for disaster risk reduction and management capacity.

Study hypothesisSince the 1990s, Italian hospitals are required to comply with emergency disaster plans known as Emergency Plan for Massive Influx of Casualties. While various studies reveal that hospitals overall suffer from an insufficient preparedness level, the aim of this study was to better determine the preparedness level of Emergency Departments of Italian hospitals by assessing the knowledge-base of emergency physicians regarding basic disaster planning and procedures.MethodsA prospective observational study utilized a convenience sample of Italian Emergency Departments identified from the Italian Ministry of Health website. Anonymous telephone interviews were conducted of medical consultants in charge at the time in the respective Emergency Departments, and were structured in 3 parts: (1) general data and demographics, (2) the current disaster plan and (3) protocols and actions of the disaster plan.ResultsEighty-five Emergency Departments met inclusion criteria, and 69 (81 %) agreed to undergo the interview. Only 45 % of participants declared to know what an Emergency Plan for Massive Influx of Casualties is, 41 % believed to know who has the authority to activate the plan, 38 % knew who is in charge of intra-hospital operations. In Part 3 physicians revealed a worrisome inconsistency in critical content knowledge of their answers.ConclusionsResults demonstrate a poor knowledge-base of basic hospital disaster planning concepts by Italian Emergency Department physicians-on-duty. These findings should alert authorities to enhance staff disaster preparedness education, training and follow-up to ensure that these plans are known to all who have responsibility for disaster risk reduction and management capacity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13049-016-0292-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.