Experience Of Natural Disasters Research Articles

Under What Conditions Does Climate Change Worry Contribute to Climate Action in Turkey: What Moderates This Relationship?

Recent studies provide strong evidence that climate change worry leads to climate action. However, there is a need for more studies on the conditions under which climate change worry triggers climate action or causes mental disorders. In this regard, we investigated the relationship between climate change worry and climate action and evaluated the role of participants’ knowledge of climate change and natural disaster experience in this relationship. The moderating function of climate action in the relationship between climate change worry and climate-related mental disorders was evaluated. Furthermore, the impact of climate change worry on different climate actions was also researched. Data obtained through an online survey from individuals aged 18–65 years old in a nationally representative sample in Turkey were used (n = 1229). The results show a positive impact of climate change worry on climate action. If climate change information creates a climate change worry, climate action occurs. Whereas climate change knowledge has a moderating role in the impact of climate change worry on climate action, experiencing climate-related natural disasters does not have such a role. However, experiencing climate-related natural disasters combined with climate change knowledge in the context of group impact leads to climate action. The climate change worry score had a positive effect on experiencing a climate-related mental disorder, but climate action does not have a moderating role in this relationship. The climate action most correlated with climate change worry is participating in voluntary activities to raise awareness among individuals. The contribution of climate change worry in different conditions to climate action is clearly supported by these research results. Therefore, climate change communication should be used to support the aspect of climate change worry that is transformed into climate action, and viable and sustainable environments should be created by considering each result of this study.

Effectiveness of a Disaster Management Education Program among Youth: A Case Study in Three Disaster-prone Provinces


 
 
 Environmental Education has emerged to integrate knowledge on the need to conserve and to protect the natural environment and to minimize hazards associated with the polluted environment and natural disasters. The present study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an environmental education programme conducted among participants of National Youth Corps (NYC) training centres. NYC recruits two batches per annum within the age group of 15–26 years. The survey was carried out in year 2019 for its first batch at three provinces: Southern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa. A workshop was conducted for all the trainees by the Disaster Management Centre followed by a two-day disaster drill programme to apply the theoretical knowledge into practice. Total intake of 5688 NYC recruits were reported in this year. 1062 of them were selected from 8 NYC training centres out of 14 total centres located within the three provinces that are considered as prone to natural disasters. A quota sampling approach was used to obtain a representative sample from these districts. Selected participants were advised to complete two self-administered questionnaires: one before the workshop and the other soon after completion. Knowledge and attitudes were measured, and the scores were compared with the hypothesis that participants reported higher scores after the workshop. Knowledge and attitudes toward disaster preparedness was evaluated before and after conducting the workshop. 71% from Southern province (Tsunami); 60% from Sabaragamuwa (landslide); and 75% of North Central province (flood) reported prior experience of natural disasters. The level of awareness of having either a local disaster management plan or a local person responsible for disaster preparedness was low. Only 14.8% from Southern, 11.0% from North Central, 17.0% from Sabaragamuwa Province knew the presence of a local DMP in which 15.0%, 19.3% and 21.6% respectively, knew the presence of the DM personal. About 75% from Southern province, 64% from North Central province and 84% from Sabaragamuwa province were not aware of the existence of an early warning system. An increase in the positive attitude was observed and the perceived change in behavioral change of the trainees have increased after the study. They were highly motivated in assisting disasters in a real situation and were willing to volunteer in minimizing the environmental hazards associated with environmental degradation. Despite the high motivation, lack of experience indicates the need for inclusion of disaster management training into National Youth Corps curriculum with annual educational activities after the initial training. The assessment framework established by this study could facilitate regular inspection and verify various disaster management tasks, in-order to enhance youth capability in response to disasters.
 Keywords: Environmental education, Disaster management, Youth, Knowledge enhancement, Attitude change
 
 

Natural disaster literacy in Iran: Survey-based evidence from Tehran

Based on a survey of 502 participants conducted in 2020/2021, this study investigates the state of natural disaster literacy in the Iranian capital of Tehran, which is one of the main metropolitan areas of the country. The results of the empirical investigation using logistic regressions suggest that household income level, trust in Iran's natural disaster management, fear of natural disasters, perceived frequency of natural disasters, and internet usage show positive associations with natural disaster literacy. Additionally, a natural disaster literacy index (DLI) for Tehran City is created, ranging from 0 to 100, using 14 natural disaster literacy indicators. Ordinary least squares (OLS) estimations with the final index provide additional evidence of previous findings. When comparing the average DLI scores of the northern and southern phone districts, spatial inequality within Tehran City becomes visible, where the northern subsample has significantly higher DLI scores than the southern subsample. The conclusion highlights the limited impact of natural disaster experience and formal education on natural disaster literacy, emphasizing the effectiveness of specialized disaster training programs especially targeted at low-income households. Moreover, increasing trust between citizens and the organizations responsible for natural disaster management and educating citizens about the possible risks and frequency of natural disasters in the region help to motivate citizens to be better prepared.

Nature dependence and seasonality change perceptions for climate adaptation and mitigation

Global climate change is a scientifically demonstrated phenomenon, but there are discrepancies in societies about how people perceive it. People’s correct perceptions to climate change are necessary for their cooperative acts and behaviors toward adaptation and mitigation. While most research in this regard focuses on temporal trends of specific climate variables, e.g., temperature and rainfall, in relation to socio-demographic factors, few reports have systematically examined who perceive a change in climatic regularity and patterns, i.e., seasonality change. We hypothesize that people tend to perceive the seasonality change as their life practices and experiences are dependent on climate and nature. Interviews with 7 experts and surveys with 1011 respondents were conducted in the Meghna basin, Bangladesh, where the number of seasons in an annual calendar is reported to have decreased from six to four (Islam and Kotani, 2016). With the data, this research investigates people’s perceptions to seasonality change in relation to life practices, experiences and socioeconomic factors. The analysis shows that dependence on natural resources in the profession along with experiences of natural disasters and life history in the dwelling locations shape people’s correct perceptions to climate seasonality. This result suggests that people are not likely to realize the seasonality change as they are dwelling in urban areas with high mobility or as their life is detached from climate and nature, being neither willing nor cooperative to take adaptation and mitigation.

Association between housing damage, present bias and delayed-onset post-traumatic stress symptoms among older adults 9 years after a natural disaster

BackgroundPrevious studies suggest that experience of natural disasters may heighten present bias. Research also suggests that impaired self-control (in particular, heightened present bias) could be linked to delayed-onset post-traumatic stress...

Using the Experience of Natural Disasters to Prevent Health Hazards in Shelters

Introduction:The number of deaths from natural disasters that have occurred in Japan since 1989 is in the order of (1) the Great East Japan Earthquake, (2) the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and (3) the Kumamoto Earthquake, but the ratio of related deaths to the total number of deaths was highest for the Kumamoto earthquake.Method:In the case of the Kumamoto earthquake, an inland earthquake of the same scale as the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, direct deaths due to the earthquake were suppressed, but related deaths are thought to have increased due to the effects of evacuation life and other factors. According to a report by Kumamoto Prefecture, the majority of direct deaths from the Kumamoto earthquake were caused by trauma such as excessive pressure or asphyxiation. As for related deaths, most of the victims were aged 60 years or older, more than 80% of them had pre-existing medical conditions, and respiratory and circulatory system diseases were the most common causes of death.Results:A survey of victims transported by ambulance from evacuation centers to medical institutions after the Kumamoto earthquake showed that a large number of victims were transported in the acute phase after the disaster. The reasons for transport are diverse injuries and illnesses, including trauma from falls, dyspnea, impaired consciousness, and fever, suggesting that stress from the earthquake and problems in the living environment of the evacuation centers had an impact on the deterioration of health conditions.Conclusion:It is important to identify issues and consider countermeasures based on past experiences in order to prevent health hazards in evacuation centers.

강원도 삼척주민들의 재난경험실태조사

This study was conducted to provide basic data for effective interventions in PTSD, by understanding Samcheok-si residents’direct and indirect trauma caused by their natural disaster experience. It administered questionnaires to 241 residents in Samcheok-si, and the results are as follows: First, the ratio of residents who have experienced disasters accounted for 72.2% of all residents in Samcheok-si, and they experienced indirect disasters more frequently than direct disasters. Second, they have most frequently experienced ‘forest fire’. Third, all residents who have directly and indirectly experienced disasters have rarely received support for damage caused by them. Fourth, the PTSD levels of the residents who have directly/indirectly experienced disasters were entirely higher. In particular, PTSD levels were higher in one group which have repeatedly experienced disasters and another group which has long experienced psychological difficulties caused. On the basis of the findings as basic data, it is necessary to consider overall interventions in the mental health of residents in Samcheok-si.

More than just a bad day? Traumatic life events and self-control in old age.

The behavioral economics literature suggests that exposure to traumatic events shifts preference features including risk aversion and time preference. In this study, we examined the association between traumatic life events and self-control in old age. Data were obtained from the Health and Retirement Study, which offers retrospective data on trauma exposure and early life characteristics. The results showed that experiences of serious physical attacks or assaults is associated with a 3.1% reduction in self-control, adjusted for demographic and childhood socioeconomic characteristics. The attacks or assaults were experienced approximately 30 years prior to the survey, indicating that traumatic life events exert a lasting influence on self-control. Further analyses found no difference in the association between the experience of serious physical attacks or assaults and self-control according to the timing of occurrence. Our findings are consistent with the evidence that experiences of natural disasters or armed conflicts increase impatience among survivors.

CEO's Childhood Experience of Natural Disaster and CSR Activities.

Interest in the drivers of firms' corporate social responsibility (CSR) is growing. However, little is known about the influence of a CEO's childhood experience of natural disasters on CSR. Using archival data, we explore this relationship by offering three mechanisms that may account for how the CEO's childhood experience of natural disaster is related to their CSR. More specifically, while prior research has established a positive relationship based on the post-traumatic growth theory, we show that the dual mechanisms of prosocial values and a CEO's risk aversion explain the positive relationship. We further find that the positive relationship is stronger (1) when CEOs have longer career horizons and (2) when community social capital is high. This study contributes to both research and managerial implications on the topics of CEO's childhood experience and CSR. In particular, this study advances the upper echelon theory by revealing that a CEO's childhood experience of natural disaster is a useful yet relatively underexplored variable that can help explain the substantial variations in firms' CSR. Moreover, we emphasize that a CEO's career horizons and level of community social capital are important variables that further amplify the effect of a CEO's childhood experience of natural disaster on the firm's CSR commitment.

Reconditioning the resilience of Palu City within the natural disaster stories

In September 2018, the city of Palu was devastated by three natural disasters: an earthquake, a tsunami, and liquefaction. The disaster impacted most of the city, including the destruction of the city’s coastal areas by the tsunami, and some places experienced ’moving land’ or liquefaction. Both disasters were triggered by an earthquake with a magnitude of ±7M, which caused numerous buildings to collapse and thousands of casualties. Nevertheless, this series of tragedies force the city to adapt and rebuild a new life. Using the qualitative approach, this research seeks to understand how Palu’s city life changes in terms of resilience, supported by the exploration of the city’s historical, natural, and urban morphology. This research was also done based on author’s own first-hand experience of natural disasters in Palu. The finding revealed that the city of Palu has a long history of natural disasters, yet the people still desire to continue living in Palu. The government created new urban spaces and embraced adaptive design by enacting the ratification of new regulations regarding urban development planning that place greater attention on disaster issues. Finally, natural disasters let people and cities learn more about how to safely cope with living in natural disaster-prone cities.

A questionnaire survey on business continuity for meal service of nursing homes in Kumamoto Prefecture with experiences of natural disasters and pandemic

A questionnaire survey on business continuity for meal service of nursing homes in Kumamoto Prefecture with experiences of natural disasters and pandemic

Natural Disasters and Changing Risk Preferences: Long-Run Field Evidence from Indonesia

Whilst studies have looked at the impact of one-off exogenous events on risk preferences, few have used longitudinal field data to assess the long-run effects of cumulative exposure to shocks. This paper studies how risk preferences are shaped by the cumulative experience of natural disasters, drawing on longitudinal field data representative of the Indonesian population from 1993 to 2014. Exploiting natural disasters as natural experiments in a difference-in-difference model, this paper provides causal evidence that past disaster experience leads to decreased risk aversion over time. Heterogeneity analysis finds evidence suggestive of a risk familiarisation process, where individuals adjust their risk preference with respect to the difference between ex ante-expected and ex post-experienced disasters.

Environmental risks to humans, the first database of valence and arousal ratings for images of natural hazards

Due to their relevance for the entire society, environmental hazards have largely been investigated in terms of their psychological effects. However, a complete image database comprising different categories of catastrophes has not been proposed yet. We selected 200 photographs of the most frequent natural disasters with the aim to collect the emotional reactions of observers. In particular, 20 stimuli were selected for each of the following 10 categories: earthquake, volcanic activity, lightning, hailstorm, drought, fire, landslide, epidemic, and neutral and positive images as control categories. A sample of 605 participants completed an online survey, in which they were asked to rate either the valence or the arousal of each stimulus, by using a Self-Assessment Manikin. The Environmental Risk to Humans database associates the emotional reactions to these visual stimuli, together with the demographics of the sample (e.g., gender, age, marital status, income, previous experience of natural disasters). The database constitutes a tool to explore human reactions to natural hazards, providing a controlled set of stimuli for different types of catastrophes.

The Impact of early-life Natural Disaster Experiences on the Corporate Innovation by CEOs

ABSTRACT We examine the relationship between CEO early-life natural disaster experience and corporate innovation. As China has a strict household registration system, we measure CEOs’ early-life natural disaster experience via defining CEOs’ birthplaces based on their official ID and linking it to the Chinese natural disaster database. We find that firms with CEOs who were exposed to natural disasters are less innovative. Importantly, we use textual analysis techniques to document two possible channels through which CEO natural disasters experience to stymie corporate innovation: CEO shortsightedness and risk-averse. Our results are robust to the instrumental variable approach, alternative definitions of early-life time windows and innovation, as well as difference-in-differences test based on CEO turnover events. Taken together, this study sheds light on the relationship between natural disasters and management’s myopia behavior.

Heart rate variability in 2014 predicted delayed onset of internalizing problems in 2015 among children affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

Experience of natural disaster was related to an increased risk of long-term child internalizing problems. Initial traumatic experiences are hypothesized to work as disaster-related stresses and sensitize neural circuitry, leading to heightened reactivity to subsequent stressful experiences, which in turn results in delayed onset of internalizing problems. However, empirical evidence is lacking. Thus, we aimed to examine the association between heart rate variability (HRV) and internalizing problems among children exposed to the disaster. The Great East Japan Earthquake Follow-up for Children (GEJE-FC) study followed children aged 4–6 years old and their siblings and parents from three affected prefectures (Miyagi, Fukushima, and Iwate) and one unaffected prefecture (Mie) in Japan over four periods: from August 2012 to June 2013 (= T1), August 2013 to April 2014 (= T2), July 2014 to December 2014 (= T3), and August 2015 to December 2015 (= T4) (n = 155). HRV was assessed at T2 and T3 as a biomarker of autonomic nervous system activity. Child internalizing problems were assessed by caregivers at T3 and T4, using the Child Behavior Checklist. HRV measurements at T2 were not associated with child internalizing problems at T3. However, HRV in low frequency domains at T3 showed an inverse association with child internalizing problems at T4 (B = −1.72, 95% CI = −3.12 to −0.31). The findings indicated that later exacerbation of internalizing problems could be predicted by dysfunction of autonomic nervous system measured by HRV.

Natural disasters and climate change beliefs: The role of distance and prior beliefs

Public support of climate policies crucially depends on climate change beliefs. Here we analyze the effects of natural disaster experience on the belief in the existence of climate change. The primary data source is a panel survey covering 22,251 observations from 11,194 geo-located households collected in Germany between 2012 and 2015, combined with satellite imagery of a major flood event in 2013. We find that flood experience had a significant positive effect on the beliefs in the existence of climate change for those respondents living close to the flooded area. However, the effect decreases sharply with distance. We further show that this overall effect is driven by those respondents who already believed in climate change before the flood – they saw their belief confirmed by their experience. In contrast, spatial proximity to the flood had no measurable effect on skeptics. These results imply that climate skeptics may not be influenced by the experience of natural disasters at their doorsteps.

Disaster Experience and Governments’ Savings: The Moderating Role of Organizational Capacity

Abstract The increasing risk of natural and human-induced disasters has caused considerable costs to governments. Governments’ savings can function as a mechanism to mitigate such revenue or expenditure shocks due to disasters. While past studies have examined how recessions affect government reserves, to date, few studies have tested how a government’s past experiences of natural disasters affect the level of its savings. In this study, we use organizational learning theory as a framework to explain this relationship. We empirically parse out the effect of previous disaster experience on reserve funds (i.e., rainy-day funds) and general savings (i.e., unassigned general fund balance). We further test whether organizational capacity serves as a moderator of the relationship between past disaster experience and savings. For the analysis, this study employs a Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to examine a sample of US states for the years from 2002 to 2017. We find that an increase in cumulative damage from prior disasters is associated with an increase in rainy-day funds and this relationship is stronger in governments with a high organizational capacity. The results remain robust to estimations with alternative measures. These findings support the organizational learning theory, which suggests that governments learn from their past experiences to increase preparedness for future disasters. We also point out the importance of financial capacity in the process of organizational learning.

Factors influencing emergency medical competencies of health centers and fire stations in areas that are vulnerable to earthquakes.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the emergency medical competency (EMC), perceived by the fire station and health center staff, in the areas where of emergency medical vulnerability where earthquakes had occurred.MethodsThis study was conducted between December 2019 and February 2020. A proper questionnaire was created to evaluate EMC in disaster situations and administered to the fire station and the health center groups. Descriptive variables of each group were calculated. The Kendall rank correlation analysis was used to measure the relationships between the demographic variables, disaster-related variables, and EMC. The factors influencing the EMC for both groups were investigated in the linear regression analysis.ResultsFor a total of 200 respondents, the mean scores of EMC were 99.85±21.24 and 95.24±20.05 for the fire station (n=96) and the health center (n=104) groups, respectively (P=0.121). EMC was significantly correlated with age, years of service, job position, natural disaster experience, disaster relief service experience, and joint disaster response exercise (P<0.050). Linear regression analysis revealed that the duration of joint disaster response exercise (β=0.640, t=11.696) in Model 1 (F=136.806, P<0.001), the duration of joint disaster response exercise (β=0.627, P<0.001), and disaster rescue service experience (β=0.124, P<0.001) in Model 2 (F=72.431, P<0.001) were independently associated with EMC improvement.ConclusionOur findings indicate that the disaster preparedness program with a longer duration of joint disaster response exercise and more frequent disaster rescue service experience is necessary for improved and systematic response to a disaster.

Solar energy and natural disasters: Exploring household coping mechanisms, capacity, and resilience in Bangladesh

We analyze the post-disaster energy use practices in rural Bangladesh and investigate whether the households are more likely to use solar energy during the disaster as a coping mechanism against electricity disruption. The relationship between solar energy usage and disaster resilience of disaster-prone households is examined through different dimensions. We perform a primary questionnaire survey of 500 households and apply the neoclassical random utility model for discrete choice decision-making based on the Probit Binary Response regression method for analysis. The results indicate that a household’s natural disaster experience, on average, increases the likelihood of post-disaster Solar Home System (SHS) use of the existing users by 13.1%. This result implies that SHS use is considered as a coping mechanism against natural disaster-induced electricity disruption by disaster-prone households. Another significant finding is that households changing the energy source to SHS during a calamity is associated with a 64.2% reduction in disaster damage, indicating improved resilience of SHS-using households against natural disasters. However, households that experienced damages from natural disasters are on average 19.9% less likely to use solar energy. The FGDs also help find different socioeconomic barriers to adopting the SHS, which include lack of access to credit and subsidy, affordability, reluctant perception towards NGO activities, and poor after-sale service. We recommend that the local government establishments and officials inform the people living in the off-grid, char areas about the benefits of the SHS and the available credit opportunities to adopt this technology.

Health risks of natural hazards and resilience resources: Evidence from a U.S. nationwide longitudinal study

BackgroundAlthough natural disasters can threaten health and well-being, some people show greater resilience to their effects than others. Identifying the characteristics related to resilience has important implications for reducing the health risks in the aftermath of a disaster. ObjectiveUsing the Conservation of Resources Theory as a framework, we study the role of resources in moderating the adverse effects of natural disasters on people's health and coping behaviors. MethodWe match 20,658 unique individuals aged 50 or older from the 2012–2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study to the county-level annual natural hazard data provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Using individual-fixed effect models, we first model whether the experience of natural disasters can predict people's health and coping behaviors. We then explore heterogeneity in such effects by interacting individual- and county-level resilience resources with the number of natural disasters. ResultsThe results show that with increased exposure to natural disasters, older adults are more likely to experience difficulties performing instrumental daily activities. They also tend to have fewer overnight hospital stays, higher out-of-pocket medical expenses, and increased alcohol dependency. However, older adults with certain socio-economic characteristics ‒ white, higher education, higher income, and homeownership ‒ are better able than others to mitigate any adverse health effects of natural disasters. One significant community-level resource is a robust healthcare capacity in a county with a high ratio of healthcare practitioners, where older adults are more likely to seek hospital care and have lower alcohol dependency. ConclusionsHealth resilience can be improved by strengthening community-level healthcare capacity, with a particular focus on residents with lower socio-economic resources. Failing to address healthcare provision inequalities may exacerbate health disparities.