Disaster-affected Communities Research Articles

Sharia Fintech Education for Disaster-Affected Communities in Palu City

Amidst the rampant development of conventional fintech technology, Islamic fintech has emerged as an innovation combining Islamic finance principles with technological advancements. Islamic fintech is a financial solution that enables Muslims to conduct their daily economic activities following Sharia law, which prohibits usury (interest) and transactions that are not in line with principles of justice. This initiative is carried out to increase public interest in using Islamic fintech by educating communities affected by disasters in Huntap Duyu. The process involves stages of preparation, observation, discussion for activity determination, activity implementation, and evaluation. The activity results show positive outcomes in enhancing the community's understanding of Islamic fintech.

The Role of Social Capital in the Response and Recovery Process of Post-Disaster Affected Communities

Many studies highlight human and physical capital’s role in the emergency response and post-disaster recovery phases. Even though social capital also plays a major role in emergency response and disaster recovery. Social capital can reduce disaster risk at the community level, especially for those who live in disaster areas. For this reason, the role of social capital in the emergency response and recovery phase is important, and its utilization must be developed. This study is expected to provide an overview of the role and influence of social capital in emergency response and post-disaster recovery in two different settings, both geographically and in the type of disaster that occurred. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach with a systematic literature review method, data collection was carried out by collecting literature, studies, articles, journals, reports, and previous research related to the role of social capital in post-disaster recovery process. The cases in this study are the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland and the earthquake in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia. This review focuses on three forms of social capital, bonding, bridging, and linking, available in disaster-affected communities and how these forms of social capital affect the recovery process of communities affected by disasters. The results show that in both areas, bonding social capital plays the strongest role, but there are differences in the impact of disasters on the condition of social capital in both area.

Disaster education: empowering resilience and mitigating PTSD in disaster-prone areas of China

The people of disaster-affected communities are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the adverse effects of natural disasters. Education about disasters has become a possible strategy for fostering resilience and easing PTSD symptoms. This study intends to investigate the moderating roles of social support and disaster experiences on the relationships between disaster education, psychological resilience, and PTSD in disaster-prone regions of Southwest China. This study used Disaster Education Evaluation Scale, Psychological Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Social Support Rating Scale (SRSS), event intensity Scale and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTSD-SS), surveyed 712 residents in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other areas where natural disasters frequently occur in Southwest China. The research findings indicate that there is a negative association between disaster education and PTSD. The association is influenced by the presence of improved psychological resilience, which acts as a mediator. Additionally, it was discovered that disaster events positively moderated the relationship between psychological resilience and PTSD while social support negatively moderated it. Resilience has a noteworthy role as a substantial mediator, highlighting its crucial function in mitigating the detrimental consequences of catastrophes and amplifying the beneficial outcomes of disaster education. These results imply that building psychological resilience, which might reduce PTSD symptoms in people living in disaster-prone regions, is a critical part of disaster education. The strength of the catastrophic event and social support are other factors that affect how psychological resilience and PTSD are related. The research argues that disaster education is crucial for strengthening community resilience and reducing PTSD symptoms in at-risk areas. To increase psychological resilience and lessen PTSD in high-risk locations, policymakers and disaster management organizations should emphasize disaster education initiatives and strengthen social support network.

Building Back Better After Disasters: Enhancing Community Resilience Through In-City Resettlement in Valenzuela City, Philippines

Build Back Better (BBB) is a recovery process that aims to make disaster-affected communities more resilient. This study analyzed the resilience of disaster-affected individuals relocated in an in-city resettlement project using the community resilience framework of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) in the context of BBB. It contributes to understanding BBB in view of limited case studies of in-city resettlement. Employing mixed methods research design, data were gathered through key informant interviews, household surveys, documents, and observation. Results show that relocation significantly improved community resilience in terms of knowledge, health, infrastructure and services, connectedness, organization, and economic opportunities. Psychological support is lacking and mechanisms to manage the community’s natural assets need to be devised in view of spatial limitations. Good practices conforming to BBB principles include structural design improvement, hazard-based land-use planning, participatory approaches, provision of various services, adoption of a multi-partnership model, economic regeneration, and proper implementation through stakeholder management and disaster management legislation. Results indicate positive contributions of local government-managed in-city resettlement to community resilience when BBB principles are considered. Stakeholders in disaster governance can learn from the good practices identified towards better post-disaster recovery in line with SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities.

A Mixed-Methods Approach to the Development of a Disaster Food Security Framework

BackgroundLimited research on food systems and food insecurity (FI) following disasters finds contextual differences in post-disaster food systems that shape dimensions of FI. Measurement limitations make it difficult to address FI and develop effective practices for disaster-affected communities. ObjectiveTo develop, validate, and test a Disaster Food Security Framework (DFSF). DesignMixed-methods approach was used, including in-depth interviews to understand lived experiences during disasters; expert panel input to validate DFSF designed using responses from in-depth interviews; and quantitative testing of robustness of DFSF using the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic as a disaster example. Participants and settingThe in-depth interviews included participants from Vermont (n = 5), North Carolina (n = 3), and Oklahoma (n = 2) who had been living in those states during Hurricane Irene (2011), Hurricane Florence (2018), the Moore tornadoes (2013), and coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (2020). The expert panel consisted of researchers and practitioners from different US geographical regions and food-related disciplines (n = 18). For the quantitative testing survey, data from 4 US states (New York, New Mexico, Vermont, and Maryland; n = 3,228) from the National Food Access and COVID Research Team was used. Main outcome measuresThe outcomes from the in-depth interviews were dimensions of disaster FI, those from the expert panel was a content validity ratio, and those from the quantitative testing was the number of items and components to be included. Analyses performedInductive and deductive reasoning were using when reporting on the in-depth interviews and expert panel results, including frequencies. The quantitative testing was conducted using multiple correspondence analysis. ResultsThe in-depth interviews revealed four dimensions of FI: availability (supply and donation), accessibility (economic, physical, and social), acceptability (preference and health), and agency (infrastructure and self-efficacy). The panel of experts reported high content validity for the DFSF and its dimensions (content validity ratio >0.42), thus giving higher credibility to the DFSF. Multiple correspondence analysis performed on 25 food-related variables identified one component with 13 indicators representing three of the four dimensions: availability, acceptability, and accessibility, but not agency.

Forest therapy as a trauma-informed approach to disaster recovery: Insights from a wildfire-affected community

A trauma-informed approach to disaster recovery recognizes the potential impacts of trauma, promotes resilience to protect against retraumatization, and can support catering the needs of disaster survivors in affected communities. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that interaction with nature is associated with a number of physical and mental health benefits, though literature surrounding nature-based therapy and disaster survivors is limited. Through key informant interviews with forest therapy guides from a program in wildfire affected Butte County, CA, this exploratory study investigates if and how “Forest Therapy ’’ can serve as a trauma-informed approach to promote wellbeing in the face of climate change and associated disasters. We find that community-based forest therapy programs offer a promising, flexible approach to community-based trauma-informed mental health servicest in disaster-affected communities. Findings also identify opportunities to tailor implementation of future programs to better reach populations most impacted by disasters, including through targeted outreach and diverse guide recruitment. Future research should investigate the impacts of forest therapy on the mental health and wellbeing of participants, as well as the scalability of forest therapy programs in disaster-affected communities.

Building a community of resilience and response—development of disaster response and training programmes

The increasing impact of catastrophic disasters has inspired a strong network of cooperative disaster resiliency programmes focussing on protection and response for heritage collections and sites around the world. A dedicated community of professionals has developed successful partnership organisations that form a collaboration of institutions, first responders, local community groups and volunteers. At the core in the United States is a consortium of governmental and private organisations. Advocating for and safeguarding cultural heritage against risks draws on conventions, policy frameworks and guidance, becoming an imperative part of effective collection and site management. This article outlines the history, missions, interrelationship and expanded programming of this resolute, primarily volunteer community. The evolution of strategic disaster resilience in North America is non-linear, as are the histories of the organisations and individuals who have contributed to the nascent specialty. Key people and agencies are dedicated to protecting cultural assets and progressively improving and professionalising disaster resilience and recovery. The strategic, physical and psychological needs of disaster-affected communities are now standard management protocols for cultural heritage collections. Tangible documentation of these changes and interconnections are spread between professional repositories and personal archives, with minimal finding aids and dependence on individual memories. This information is gathered, regularly shared and updated as part of experiential training but seldom published in historical or scholarly articles. This article is intended to bridge the gap between a literature review and a record of experiences that have moved the profession of cultural heritage responder and their support organisations forward in time.

Social group connections support mental health following wildfire

PurposeAs environmental disasters become more common and severe due to climate change, there is a growing need for strategies to bolster recovery that are proactive, cost-effective, and which mobilise community resources.AimsWe propose that building social group connections is a particularly promising strategy for supporting mental health in communities affected by environmental disasters.MethodsWe tested the social identity model of identity change in a disaster context among 627 people substantially affected by the 2019–2020 Australian fires.ResultsWe found high levels of post-traumatic stress, strongly related to severity of disaster exposure, but also evidence of psychological resilience. Distress and resilience were weakly positively correlated. Having stronger social group connections pre-disaster was associated with less distress and more resilience 12–18 months after the disaster, via three pathways: greater social identification with the disaster-affected community, greater continuity of social group ties, and greater formation of new social group ties. New group ties were a mixed blessing, positively predicting both resilience and distress.ConclusionsWe conclude that investment in social resources is key to supporting mental health outcomes, not just reactively in the aftermath of disasters, but also proactively in communities most at risk.

Persepsi Masyarakat Kecamatan Huristak terhadap Kewajiban Berzakat Melalui Baznas Kabupaten Padang Lawas Sumatera Utara

The results of this study are that some of the scholars who participated in the socialization support and agree with the obligation to pay zakat to the BAZNAS institution, but some scholars who do not know and do not participate in the socialization from BAZNAS, think that there is no obligation to pay zakat to the institution and are still required to distribute zakat to the mustahik who are around them. Whereas community leaders have more confidence in the distribution carried out by the amil of the mosque because it can be reflected in the distribution of zakat to their relatives or families, and according to what they have done long ago. Some of them also think that paying zakat to BAZNAS institutions is not mandatory, because there is already an Amil zakat appointed by the community. In addition, they understand that BAZNAS is only a social institution that helps the poor or disaster-affected communities. Then the understanding of muzakki is that they do not know the obligation to pay zakat through BAZNAS, but they have no objection if they have to pay zakat to BAZNAS institutions, provided that these institutions must carry out open and transparent outreach to the public about zakat programs and management and collect zakat

HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: A CASE STUDY OF MONSOON RELIEF DISTRIBUTION FOR PULAU REDANG, TERENGGANU

Logistical planning is essential to reducing disaster-related suffering. As aid is essential, it must be managed effectively to ensure that the impacted population receives accurate and timely assistance. Every year, from October to March, the Northeast Monsoon brings torrential rainfall to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, notably Terengganu, resulting in catastrophic floods. This situation presents a unique logistical challenge in the island area, where humanitarian supplies must be delivered well before the monsoon season starts since the islands will become inaccessible due to weather and sea conditions. This study explored measures and approaches implemented by the Department of Social Welfare Malaysia (DoSW), a government agency responsible for distributing aid to Pulau Redang, Terengganu, in preparation for the monsoon season. A qualitative inquiry methodology using a case study was used to complete this study by conducting interviews with key respondents from DoSW as well as Pulau Redang’s local communities. The results showed that information gathering, pre-positioned supplies, good coordination among logistics agencies and local community involvement are essential strategies to ensure that disaster-affected communities get the supplies they need quickly and efficiently, especially in remote island areas.

Preparing next generation of nurses to care for disaster affected population: A call to action in nursing curriculum

Disasters can occur anywhere and without warning, requiring proactive action to reduce errors and save lives. Nurses are often the first responders during times of disasters who play a vital role in preserving life and sustaining all aspects of the health of the disaster-affected community. The inclusion of disaster education in the nursing curriculum is vital to prepare nurses who are competent, skillful and knowledgeable in providing quality care to disaster-affected communities. This paper underscores the role of the nursing curriculum and evidence-based teaching learning strategies in preparing the next generation of nurses in providing quality care to the vulnerable population affected by the disaster. Moreover, the paper presents the role of theory and didactic course/course content on disaster nursing, integration of interprofessional education in disaster nursing curriculum, clinical experience, simulation and mock disaster training, and participation in research specific to disaster nursing.

Ethical research practice in health and disasters

Research on health and disasters within the social sciences and public health is produced from a wide range of methodological and disciplinary perspectives. Major disaster events continue to highlight the need for health and disaster researchers to further reflect on the procedural and practical aspects of research ethics. We conduct a scoping review and qualitative frame analysis of 76 empirical articles from 2000 onwards, with the aim of uncovering the dominant framings of ‘ethical practice’ within health and disaster literature. The review demonstrates that the literature presents competing framings of risk – namely, a more individualist and biomedical understanding of trauma, and a focus on community-level and contextual aspects of risk, respectively. These competing frames of risk determine how different parts of the field negotiate ethical processes and practices. Additional points of tension are found in the way in which disaster-affected people and places are characterised as (or as not) particularly vulnerable, and the role of formal ethical review committees. This review synthesises proposed solutions from literature to improve both procedural and practical ethics and finds there are continued disagreements surrounding even the most frequently called-for changes. The contrasting framings of ethics problems and solutions within this field indicate the need for consensus around the practical ethics of health and disaster research. Further reflection is warranted for more coherent engagement between this research field and disaster-affected communities.

‘We are not in the same boat’: Representations of disaster and recovery in India

‘Representations’ of recovery refer to the creation, circulation, reinforcement and subversion of ideas about what should be done in the months and years after a hazard has struck. The research reported in this paper outlines how contrasting and, in some cases, openly contested narratives can emerge in society around the nature and causes of the event, the impacts and needs of the affected population, and the priorities and effectiveness of recovery processes. We worked in three states in India – Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Kerala – collecting and collating a range of information on ideas, experiences and debates about disaster recovery from people in disaster-affected communities, from governmental and non-governmental organisations, from reports in the media, from academic studies and from official documentation. These related to major hazard events over the last two decades as well as recent events that hit the states prior to or during the course of the research.Though there is much variation between disaster cases in the pattern of representations by different actors, there are some discernible elements that do tend to work together to generate an effect on outcomes, often in ways that not only side-line livelihood and wellbeing priorities of disaster-affected people but also sometimes downplay or even negate the needs and rights of specific social groups. Managing disaster recovery is a hugely challenging task. However, it is not well served if the ways in which impacts and recovery needs are articulated lead to the effective exclusion of certain sectors, social groups, needs and concerns from full consideration, or to the blocking of alternative perspectives such as proactive approaches to future risk reduction. Key in this, we maintain, is the need to shift representations of recovery to better match the needs and voices of those most affected.

Disseminating early interventions for disaster mental health response using the ECHO model.

Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO)-based telementoring was evaluated for disseminating early disaster interventions, Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR), to school professionals throughout rural, disaster-affected communities further affected by COVID-19. PFA and SPR complemented their Multitiered System of Support: PFA complemented tier 1 (universal)and SPRtier 2 (targeted) prevention. We evaluated the outcomes of a pretraining webinar (164 participants, January 2021) and four-part PFA training (84 participants, June 2021) and SPR training(59 participants, July 2021) across five levels of Moore's continuing medical education evaluation framework: (1) participation, (2) satisfaction, (3) learning, (4) competence, and (5) performance, using pre-, post-, and 1-month follow-up surveys. Positive training outcomes were observed across all five levels, with high participation and satisfaction throughout, and high use at the 1-month follow-up. ECHO-based telementoring may successfully engage and train community providers in these underused early disaster response models. Recommendations regarding training format and using evaluation to improve training are provided.

Fostering recovery through stakeholders-community collaboration in post-earthquake recovery in Nepal

The roles of stakeholders from governmental and non-governmental sectors and groups within the communities have been praised as facilitators for effective response and recovery. However, various stakeholders involved in post-2015 Nepal Earthquakes' recovery initiatives reported challenges in understanding the changing community needs and developing trustable relationships with people resulting in low levels of community engagement. This study examines stakeholders' opportunities and challenges when engaging local people in implementing recovery projects with social capital lenses by analysing interactions between multiple stakeholders and disaster-affected communities. The research used a qualitative method, including 23 semi-structured interviews with representatives from government agencies, NGOs, community organisations and volunteers involved in different initiatives toward post-earthquake recovery. The findings from this study present multiple scenarios of community-stakeholders interactions creating opportunities and barriers for people-centred recovery. Even though gender equity remains a contentious issue, acknowledging the nature of stakeholders’ relationships with disaster-affected communities and their roles in promoting community leadership and inclusion creates trustable connections that enable long-term engagement and build resilience beyond disaster recovery. Understanding these complexities is crucial in undertaking community-based disaster management initiatives, promoting long-term community engagement and fostering resilience beyond disaster recovery.

ASSISTANCE FOR DISASTER NUTRITION INTERVENTION THROUGH FOOD SUPPLY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, NUTRITION COUNSELING AND EDUCATION

Indonesia's geographical conditions make Indonesia a region prone to disasters, one of which is an earthquake. Cianjur Regency is one of the areas affected by an earthquake at the end of 2022. Disasters also open up opportunities for new disasters to emerge on public health status. Food and nutrition are basic needs that are important to be concerned about and focus on in handling emergencies because they determine health status. The Bangkit Village Activity Program (KKB) aims to find solutions to post-earthquake disaster nutrition management problems. This program is carried out through several activities, namely Rapid Nutritional Survey, Food Supply Management, Counseling, and Nutrition Education. The target of this activity is disaster-affected communities, especially special groups, namely infants, toddlers, pregnant women, breastfeeding, and the elderly. The results of the activities show a positive impact with the availability of data describing the health status of the community, increasing knowledge through education, exploring health problems through counseling, and quality assurance and food safety. The sustainability of the program needs to be considered by all parties involved to improve the health status of disaster-affected communities in Nagrog Village, Cigrass Village, and Cugenang District.

Community-Based Disaster Health Management Approaches: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Community-based interventions can be effective due to the active participations of communities in pre- and post-disaster planning and management. Effective community-based disaster management for health promotion can be achieved by learning from the successful local and international experiences of community participations. Thus, this study is aimed to identify the community active participation approaches which were effective in promoting the health of disaster-affected communities.
 Methods: This systematic review was conducted and reported based on PRISMA guideline. Web of Sciences, PubMed and Scopus were searched using the selected keywords. The inclusion criteria were all forms of published articles which studied the approaches of community active participations for improving their health in disasters. The selection of articles was conducted using the titles and abstracts. Data analysis was done based on the categorization of different community-based disaster management approaches.
 Results: 10 articles were finally selected out of 2843 documents generated by initial search. Asian countries considered community involvements in disaster management the most (40%). The most community active participations in disaster management were conducted in the recovery phase (80%). Approaches of community-based disaster management for the health promotion were two-way university-community participation, focusing on empowering specific community groups, governance, and localizing community participation as well as strengthening social networks.
 Conclusion: Considering the capacities of academic institutions for active participation in community-based disaster management according to the Yokohama, Hyogo and Sendai Framework is highly suggested. Further research is needed to explore the challenges of community communication and information in disasters.

The Support to Mitigate the Impact of Suicide for Disaster Aid Workers of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Suicide substantially impacts disaster-affected communities due to pre-existing psychosocial effects caused by the disaster. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, local disaster aid workers had overworked for months, and many workers eventually died by suicide. Although many workplaces suffered this dual damage, there is limited literature on psychosocial postvention in this context. This study reports the activities of individual/group postventions provided to these aid workers. The bereaved person expressed grief for the loss of their colleagues and anger for not being protected. The postvention observed unusual and distinctive group dynamics. It was essential for mental health professionals to address 2 types of traumatic exposures in the group programs -trauma from the disaster and their colleagues' deaths due to suicide. These postvention programs might be beneficial in maintaining aid workers' mental health and helping them cope with the loss of their colleagues.

ANALYSIS OF FOLKLORE ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ENVIRONMENTALLY-BASED DISASTER MITIGATION EFFORTS IN THE SOUTHERN COASTAL AREAS OF JAVA ISLAND

Folklore as an oral heritage that is entrenched in the community has values that can increase understanding of legends and culture and move people's awareness of the importance of life values. One of them is folklore related to the natural environment. In Indonesia, folklore is not only an oral tradition that is told but also formalized in the education curriculum, especially at the elementary education unit or elementary school level. Folklore that developed in disaster-affected communities was built to provide disaster mitigation education. The purpose of this study was to analyze folklore in elementary school students in an environmentally friendly- based disaster mitigation effort in the Pelabuhanratu Sukabumi area, West Java and Parangtristis Jogjakarta. Using descriptive qualitative methods, this folklore research in elementary schools is discussed using an analysis of disaster mitigation and an environmentally friendly lifestyle. The results showed that folklore contributed to disaster mitigation for elementary school students in Pelabuhanratu Sukabumi and Parangtritis Jogjakarta utilizing several folk stories whose purpose was to build children's understanding and awareness, then for the practical stage it was done through simulation, and for the habituation stage it was done through routines. Values, the values taught are more about protecting the environment to prevent disasters, providing an understanding of the dangers of disasters, and explaining what to do in the event of a disaster.

Sustainability Factors of Self-Help Groups in Disaster-Affected Communities

Self-help groups are informal associations that use social capital to overcome resource constraints and act as a catalyst for rural development, women, and social empowerment. This study tries to identify the factors that affect the sustainability of self-help groups in natural disaster-affected communities. Natural calamities in the form of droughts, floods, or cyclones pose major challenges to livelihood in disaster-prone regions. The study is based on survey data from two different disaster-prone locations: the cyclone- and flood-prone Sundarbans, and drought-prone Bankura in West Bengal, India. Applying principal component analysis to the responses of 143 self-help group members, the study identifies four factors responsible for the sustainability of these self-help groups. This study shows that managerial functions, trust, fund utilization, and easy financing are the factors that matter the most. The findings suggest that policymakers and local governments can focus on these aspects to ensure the effectiveness of self-help groups in meeting their social objectives.