Disaster Preparedness Policies Research Articles

Prevalence and Changes in Usage of Mental Health Services for Rhode Island Children and Youth Before, During, and After Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study reports the prevalence of inpatient, emergency department (ED), and outpatient mental health service usage of children/youth before, during, and after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Rhode Island. Additionally, we identify significant changes in usage across these time periods and the prevalence of each service type contingent upon various demographic profiles. This retrospective observational analysis used Rhode Island Medicaid claims to identify the unique children and youth who used inpatient, ED, and outpatient mental health services across three key time periods: pre-onset (March 2019-February 2020); onset (March 2020-February 2021); and post-onset (March 2021-February 2022). We used z-tests to analyze changes in the proportion of children/youth who accessed these services in each period. We examined relationships between demographic characteristics and time period with chi-square tests. Significant decreases in inpatient and ED usage were identified from pre-onset to onset (p < .05). While inpatient nearly returned to pre-pandemic usage in post-onset, ED usage remained lower. Outpatient usage increased significantly leading up to the pandemic but remained at similar levels between pre-onset and post-onset. From pre-onset to post-onset, females grew as a percentage of all inpatient, ED, and outpatient users. Over this same period, the proportion of inpatient users aged 12-18 increased and the proportion of ED and outpatient users aged 19-24 increased. Female usage of mental health services increased significantly, and older children/youth seemed to drive any significant increases. Future public health and disaster preparedness policies should focus on the unique mental health needs of these socially vulnerable groups.

State-of-art review of resilience of bridges and bridge networks

In recent years, many attempts have been made to incorporate resilience frameworks into decision making, establish the best use of available resources and reduce the impact of hazards on bridges and bridge networks. However, scholarly research in this area is still in its early phases, with minimal exploration of research gaps and future prospects. A state-of-the-art review of bridge and bridge network resilience studies using a science mapping approach is presented here. Research on the topic was obtained from the Scopus literature database. The literature database was then analysed using VOSviewer and Nvivo tools to display the domain-specific body of knowledge. The study then focused on the most prolific researchers and disaster types, bridge resilience assessment approaches, current research trends, future directions and theoretical and practical implications. The research paradigm on the resilience of bridges and bridge networks is changing toward the usage of digital tools and technologies. In this context, a framework id proposed by integrating building information modelling/geographic information systems and digital twin models. The proposed framework can aid bridge owners in accumulating iterative data, creating multi-hazard disaster preparedness policies and designing and enhancing life-cycle management and maintenance tasks of bridges and bridge networks.

Disaster Preparedness in Social Work: Enhancing Policy in Australian Human Service Organisations

Abstract This article reports on a small study that aimed to enhance disaster preparedness policy in Australian human service organisations. Adopting a transformative ecosocial lens, the researchers collaborated with emergency services as part of action research (AR) to co-design a series of workshops. The objectives of the workshops were to progressively develop disaster preparedness policy relating to risk assessment, service continuity and recovery plans. Semi-structured interviews with eight participants from human service organisations were undertaken post-workshop to explore their experiences and the impacts of workshops on organisational policy. Qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis. Five key themes emerged from the data. The themes were knowledge acquisition, the interrelationship between policy and practice, inter- and intra-professional relationships, organisational challenges and marginalisation. Whilst results indicated that workshops provided participants with opportunities to enhance disaster preparedness policy, participants described ongoing challenges inhibiting their progress within an organisational context. Implications for social work highlight the interrelationship between policy and practice and underscore the value of the profession’s multidimensional approach to practice. The need to disrupt the influence of the neoliberal discourse within the organisational context is critical for enhancing disaster preparedness and for mitigating the inequitable impacts of disasters on marginalised groups.

Assessing the ripple effects of natural disasters on healthcare systems: a narrative review.

Natural disasters are on the rise, driven by shifts in climatic patterns largely attributed to human-induced climate change. This relentless march of climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of these disasters, heightening the vulnerability of communities and causing significant harm to both lives and socio-economic systems. Healthcare services are particularly strained during extreme weather events, with impacts felt not only on infrastructure but also on patient care. This narrative review explored the overarching impact of natural disasters on healthcare infrastructure. We delved into how these disasters impact diverse health conditions, the healthcare systems of low and middle-income countries (LMICs), the psychological toll on both clinicians and survivors, and the ramifications for end-of-life care. Natural disasters significantly impact healthcare, especially in LMICs due to their limited resources. Patients with cancer or chronic diseases struggle to access care following a natural disaster. Those in need for palliative care experience delay due to shortages in medical resources. Psychological consequences like posttraumatic stress disorder on disaster survivors and healthcare providers highlight the need for mental health support. Addressing challenges requires proactive disaster preparedness policies and urgent public policy initiatives are needed for optimal disaster response.

Integrating Psychological First Aid Into Community Disaster Preparedness Plans: Opportunities And Challenges

Disasters, whether natural or human-made, can have profound and lasting impacts on individuals’ mental health and well-being. In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of addressing psychological impact of disasters and incorporating psychological first aid (PFA) in disaster preparedness policies and plans. This research paper explores the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating PFA into community disaster preparedness plans. Drawing on a review of existing literature, this paper examines the theoretical underpinnings of PFA, its core principles and components, and its effectiveness in promoting psychological resilience and recovery following disasters. Additionally, this paper explores the practical considerations and logistical challenges involved in implementing PFA within the context of community disaster preparedness, including issues related to training, resource allocation, coordination with existing emergency response systems, and cultural sensitivity. Through a comprehensive analysis of the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating PFA into community disaster preparedness plans, this paper aims to inform policymakers, emergency responders, and mental health professionals about the importance of prioritizing psychological support in disaster preparedness efforts and offers recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of PFA initiatives at the community level.

Child and adolescent self-harm in a pandemic world: Evidence from a decade of data

BACKGROUND Little is known about the COVID-19 pandemic impact on child and adolescent mental health, specifically self-harm. This paper serves to form a basis for understanding and planning an appropriate response to the present and longstanding child and adolescent mental health needs with global recommendations for integrated community support and disaster preparedness. METHODS Anonymous, aggregated data from an established regional child and adolescent addictions and mental health service was employed to examine differences in the rates of self-harm as the primary reason for referral among the health-seeking population represented by quarter by year from 2010-2022 to examine whether self-harm rates have increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS Females and self-defined sex had higher rates of self-harm referrals compared to males. Both total and first-time self-harm referrals since the COVID outbreak in 2020 did not exceeded the highest quarterly rates before COVID since 2010. DISCUSSION Since the COVID-19 pandemic, self-harm rates in one Canadian region remain stable and lower than the highest rates previously observed over the last decade. Given misplaced alarmist news and reports, a coherent, evidence-based, dynamic national response to mental health, social support, and disaster planning is required to fully understand how best to respond to the pandemic in general with a sustainable social support and disaster preparedness policy strategy and specifically the ongoing and pandemic-related mental health needs of the child and adolescent help-seeking population.

Child and adolescent self-harm in a pandemic world: Evidence from a decade of data

BACKGROUND Little is known about the COVID-19 pandemic impact on child and adolescent mental health, specifically self-harm. This paper serves to form a basis for understanding and planning an appropriate response to the present and longstanding child and adolescent mental health needs with global recommendations for integrated community support and disaster preparedness. METHODS Anonymous, aggregated data from an established regional child and adolescent addictions and mental health service was employed to examine differences in the rates of self-harm as the primary reason for referral among the health-seeking population represented by quarter by year since 2010 to examine whether self-harm rates have increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS Female rates of self-harm referral were greater than male rates. Neither male nor female quarterly rates of total or first-time self-harm referrals exceeded the highest quarterly rates since 2010. DISCUSSION Since the COVID-19 pandemic, self-harm rates in one Canadian region remain stable and lower than the highest rates observed over the last decade. Given misplaced alarmist news and reports, a coherent, evidence-based, dynamic national response to mental health, social support, and disaster planning is required to fully understand how best to respond to the pandemic in general with a sustainable social support and disaster preparedness policy strategy and specifically the ongoing and pandemic-related mental health needs of the child and adolescent help-seeking population.

Essential but Excluded: Building Disaster Preparedness Capacity for Home Health Care Workers and Home Care Agencies.

COVID-19 has demonstrated the essential role of home care services in supporting community-dwelling older and disabled individuals through a public health emergency. As the pandemic overwhelmed hospitals and nursing homes, home care helped individuals remain in the community and recover from COVID-19 at home. Yet unlike many institutional providers, home care agencies were often disconnected from broader public health disaster planning efforts and struggled to access basic resources, jeopardizing the workers who provide this care and the medically complex and often marginalized patients they support. The exclusion of home care from the broader COVID-19 emergency response underscores how the home care industry operates apart from the traditional health care infrastructure, even as its workers provide essential long-term care services. This special article (1) describes the experiences of home health care workers and their agencies during COVID-19 by summarizing existing empiric research; (2) reflects on how these experiences were shaped and exacerbated by longstanding challenges in the home care industry; and (3) identifies implications for future disaster preparedness policies and practice to better serve this workforce, the home care industry, and those for whom they care.

Peran Perencanaan Partisipatif dalam Kesiapsiagaan Bencana Gunungapi Berbasis Komunitas

Understanding risks and formulating appropriate resource requirements is an important role for volcanic disaster-prone communities. However, development planners in the disaster sector often fail to understand and give a role to the community. This study aims to provide an overview of community participation in planning to support preparedness for the threat of volcanic eruptions. By using a systematic review, various related scientific sources are analyzed. The results show that participatory planning can be a forum for identifying existing conditions of threats, vulnerabilities, and community capacities and resources to minimize risks; encouraging the effectiveness of disaster preparedness policies; become a public space for the citizen to exercise their democratic rights and practice the ability to voice their interests in the implementation of disaster risk management in their area. Even though participatory planning conceptually has a good impact, it needs to be supported by the expertise of the facilitator, and adequate competence from the community and other stakeholders so that rational ideas can clash through dialogue, which is expected to produce appropriate risk reduction actions for the community.

Global Disability Justice In Climate Disasters: Mobilizing People With Disabilities As Change Agents.

Disabled people are highly susceptible to climate change impacts and disasters, yet they often remain sidelined or largely invisible. Policy makers, humanitarian agencies, and governments need to address the climate-related vulnerabilities that disabled people encounter during acute events and in the course of more creeping forms of climate change. As deaf researchers, we call for integrating disability justice into climate and disaster preparedness policies and practices worldwide. A disability justice approach can embrace the strengths that disabled people bring to disaster planning and climate mitigation and advocacy efforts. In this article we present case studies from different global regions to illustrate how disability is overlooked in responding to climate-related health impacts and disaster planning. We also draw particular attention to mutual aid networks led by disabled people in adapting to climate-related health impacts. We then suggest questions to help policy makers and practitioners integrate disability justice into their work. Above all, disabled people, organizations, and service providers should take ownership over the process of developing policies and actions to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to climate disasters.

State Policies Concerning Disaster Preparedness for Home- and Community-Based Service Providers.

Older adults are among those most vulnerable to harm in disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires. Nursing homes and other Medicare providers are subject to federal requirements to develop detailed disaster plans. However, millions of older adults receive care at home from non-Medicare providers who are under federal disaster preparedness rules that are less prescriptive than Medicare rules and subject to state interpretation. This study assessed the disaster preparedness policies for Older Americans Act-funded home- and community-based programs in 10 states with high numbers of older adults and experience with disasters. We found considerable variation by state. The results raise questions about the protection provided to vulnerable individuals who receive care at home in some states. However, the policies of some other states indicate an awareness that government has a significant role in protecting older adults exposed to disasters and that disaster preparedness is a component of aging in place.

Disaster Preparedness and Planning for Service Sustainability: Case of Egerton University Digital Library, Main Campus

Preparing and planning for disaster remains the most crucial component of libraries. It also happens to be one that is least understood. Since the existence of libraries and information science, there has been a history of disasters happening from time to time. Disasters are events in which no library would like to experience but the still do. Egerton University library being the study area, has experienced disasters in the form of rioting students causing service disruption and incidences of fire. This study sought to evaluate the disaster preparedness and planning of digital libraries in relation to service sustainability. It considered the following objectives: To establish the level of disaster preparedness and planning; To find out the training the library staff have undergone; To determine the disaster preparedness and planning equipment in place; and to establish the challenges faced in preparing and planning for disasters at Egerton University digital library in service delivery. It was anchored on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The study made use of descriptive research design and considered census method to arrive at 68 library staff as its respondents. Primary data was collected using self-administered questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. The quantitative data collected was inferentially analyzed as per the objectives of this study. A statistical software SPSS was used in analyzing this data. Findings were presented in the form of tables as frequencies and percentages for easy understanding. The validity of the instruments was determined using specialists who assisted in properly framing questions in the questionnaire. They also assisted in realigning it according to the objectives of the study. The study established that the level of disaster preparedness and planning at the digital library in Egerton University was low hence the digital library was at risk of disasters; not all the library staff had not adequately undergone training on disaster preparedness and planning; the library was not adequately supplied with disaster preparedness and planning equipment’s; the digital library was experiencing challenges in regards to disaster preparedness and planning; and the digital library services will be affected in the event of a disaster happening. The study concluded that the digital library could experience disasters because they were not exempted from disasters like any other organization or section within the University; the library was not so keen on training its staff on disaster preparedness and planning; the digital library had inadequate disaster preparedness and planning equipment’s; implementing a disaster preparedness plan was hindered by lack of adequate funds which were needed for purchasing suitable equipment’s, servicing these equipment as well as training all the library staff. The study recommended that the management of the university and library should provide the needed support and influence staff training in regards to disaster preparedness and planning; the library should develop a well-documented disaster preparedness policy of its own and incorporate it with the overall disaster preparedness policy for the university; and a structured, systematic and regular mechanism of training staff on disaster preparedness should be developed, supported and implemented within the library.

Staffing in a Level 1 Trauma Center: Quantifying Capacity for Preparedness.

We sought to determine who is involved in the care of a trauma patient. We recorded hospital personnel involved in 24 adult Priority 1 trauma patient admissions for 12 h or until patient demise. Hospital personnel were delineated by professional background and role. We cataloged 19 males and 5 females with a median age of 50-y-old (interquartile range [IQR], 35.5-67.5). The average number of hospital personnel involved was 79.71 (standard deviation, 17.62; standard error 3.6). A median of 51.2% (IQR, 43.4%-59.8%) of personnel were first involved within hour 1. More personnel were involved in direct versus indirect care (median 54.5 [IQR, 47.5-67.0] vs 25.0 [IQR, 22.0-30.5]; P < 0.0001). Median number of health-care professionals and auxiliary staff were 74.5 (IQR, 63.5-90.5) and 6.0 (IQR, 5.0-7.0), respectively. More personnel were first involved in hospital locations external to the emergency department (median, 53.0 [IQR, 41.5-63.0] vs 27.5 [IQR, 24.0-30.0]; P < 0.0001). No differences existed in total personnel by Injury Severity Score (P = 0.1266), day (P = 0.7270), or time of admission (P = 0.2098). A large number of hospital personnel with varying job responsibilities respond to severe trauma. These data may guide hospital staffing and disaster preparedness policies.

The preparedness of schools in dealing tsunami disaster threat in pacitan coastal bay, pacitan regency

Schools are responsible for ensuring the safety of students if a natural disaster occurs during school hours. Besides, schools can implement disaster management towards the natural hazard in the form of effective preparedness so that the school’s resilience to disasters has been successfully improved. This study was aimed to determine the level of preparedness of students, teachers, and schools in dealing with the tsunami in Pacitan Bay, Pacitan Regency. The data collection method was done by filling out questionnaires and interviewing respondents participated by 165 students and 39 teachers conducted in 11 schools in the Pacitan regency using a purposive sampling technique. The data analysis method was descriptive qualitative. The results showed that there were differences between schools especially in the matter of preparedness. School preparedness is influenced by knowledge, emergency planning, resource mobilization, early warning systems and school policies and the geographical location of the school. However, the level of school preparedness in Pacitan Bay which plays an important role is school policy. School policies in Pacitan District 36% are included in the low category, so there is a need for an increase in disaster preparedness policies in schools.

A Preliminary Study of Indonesian Academic Libraries Digital Disaster Preparedness

Academic libraries are one of the vital institutions that collect and manage the intellectual and cultural output of human beings, both in print and digital forms. Along with the growth of digital collections, the threats to or vulnerability of those collections are also increasing. This paper aims to describe the digital disaster preparedness measures implemented by respondent academic libraries in Indonesia that participated in the study. The study was conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia. The finding shows that even though libraries have taken steps to protect their digital data and collections, most of the libraries that participated in this study do not have a written digital disaster preparedness policy and had never conducted a risk analysis of the potential for digital disasters in their institutions. This research recommends that the libraries need to do a risk assessment first to prevent and manage any potential disaster.

Optimization of Destana policies (Resilience Disaster Village) to improve community preparedness for flood disaster in Bojonegoro District, Indonesia

Natural disasters are one of the impacts on environmental dynamics, both natural and as a result of human behavior. The Destana (Disaster Resilient Village) policy is one of the programs created by BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency) and implemented by BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency) as one of the government's efforts in dealing with disaster problems. The purpose of the study is to describe how Destana plays an optimal role in increasing community preparedness in dealing with floods. Using a qualitative approach, this study conducted observations on 11 Destana in Bojonegoro, conducted interviews with BPBD and each Destana coordinator and documented the activities Destana had carried out to improve community preparedness. The first finding in the implementation of Destana is a medium for the community together with stakeholders in disaster management to carry out activities related to increasing community knowledge about flood preparedness. The second result is that through Destana the community becomes more aware of its environment and has a responsibility to protect itself. Finally, there is a pattern of optimizing the use of rural resources to be used in every Destana activity. The three results indicate that Destana has been used and is running optimally in an effort to increase community preparedness in facing flood disasters. Optimizing the use of Destana in this study shows that the community plays an active role by utilizing their local knowledge and resources. In addition, the government remains the main actor in implementing disaster preparedness policies. JEL Classification : D78, J24, R58.

The vulnerability level and employee preparedness index in responding to fire in mills division at pt. eastern pearl flour mills of Makassar city

BNPB (The National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure) suggested that there were 3,193 cases of fires in Indonesia from 1815 to 2018. There were 6 cases of fires at PT. Eastern Pearl Flour Mills during the period of 2016 to 2019 which resulted in material loss. The main objective of this study was to investigate and determine the level of fire vulnerability and employee preparedness index at Mills division at PT. Eastern Pearl Flour Mills of Makassar. The methodological approach taken was descriptive by using a survey method. The population were all 38 employees. The sampling technique was total sampling. The samples used in this study were 38 samples. The results indicated that in the aspect knowledge, 38 respondents high category (100%). Attitude, 38 respondents (100%) high category. Disaster preparedness policy, 35 respondents (92.1%) high category, and 3 respondents (7.9%) low category. Resource mobilization, 36 respondents (94.7%) high category, and 2 respondents (5.3%) low category. Disaster warning, 38 respondents (100%) high category.Preparedness plan, 33 respondents (86.8%) high category, and 5 respondents (13.2%) low category. This research concludes that the level of fire vulnerability at the Mills division at PT. Eastern Pearl Flour Mills Makassar City was considered the medium category, while the employee preparedness index was considered in the fair category. The researchers suggest the company to continous socialization related to fire prevention SOPs to all employees. The employees must be able to distinguish signs of the fire warning and increase their knowledge related to fire disasters in the workplace.

Disaster Preparedness, Vulnerability and Resilience - Review of Theories and Implementations

This review paper aims to suggest policy directions to secure the effective implementation of disaster preparedness policy by minimizing vulnerability for disaster and building disaster resilience in the event of large-scale disasters. Disaster preparedness refers to activities undertaken prior to the onset of a disaster to improve the response capacities of individuals, households, organizations, communities, and countries. The roles of these units include assessing their disaster vulnerabilities, anticipating problems that may arise in the event of disasters, and improving the ability to reduce disaster impact and ensure efficient and effective responses. In this context, we reviewed the theoretical framework underlying disaster preparedness, vulnerability, and resilience in disaster situations and then examined some of the problems that hinder proper preparation for a prompt and efficient response to the disaster. Based on the findings of the review, we recommended the government to develop programs to ensure effective implementation of disaster preparedness policies for vulnerability reduction and resilience building.

Disaster experiences and preparedness of the Orang Asli Families in Tasik Chini of Malaysia: A conceptual framework towards building disaster resilient community

This study explores disaster experiences and preparedness of the disaster affected Orang Asli families in Tasik Chini, Malaysia. Applying a qualitative research approach, this study was collected data from 10 respondents from 10 families based on convenient sampling and in-depth interview. This study utilises thematic analysis to analyse and report the data. This study revealed that Orang Asli families faced both positive and negative experiences due to disaster. Moreover, disaster preparedness of the families was found to be low. Thus, there is need an inclusive disaster preparedness policy for the Orang Asli families towards building a disaster resilient community.

Dynamics of Urban Disaster Risk Paradigm: Looking Through the Perceived Lens of the Residents of Informal Settlements in Khulna City, Bangladesh

The integration of sustainability principles into disaster management research suggests a shift from traditional expert-driven assessment to a more community-driven process. However, most studies have focused on a generalized and regional assessment of perceived risk. Only a few of them have focused on informal settlements which belong to the most vulnerable communities facing the compound impacts of multiple disasters in urban areas. This raises concerns over the generalization of existing findings as informal settlements may add to spatial heterogeneity in disaster risk assessment. In order to contribute to this knowledge gap, we have surveyed 1,122 households of 93 slums of Khulna city in Bangladesh. We have investigated informal settlers’ perceptions of local and citywide hazard risks and their vulnerabilities from natural and anthropogenic hazards. It is found that low-income households are more concerned about the day-to-day inconvenience (e.g., waterlogging) rather than extreme weather events (e.g., cyclone and storm surge). This is mainly due to the degraded local environment and poor built form of their living places. The mapping of survey responses displays a spatial segregation of perceived disaster risk. The study highlights the importance of adopting spatial and risk-specific disaster preparedness policies and interventions. The results of the study would also be useful for tailoring appropriate disaster management policies to improve community resilience for poverty-stricken areas in developing countries.