Disaster Preparedness: A Comparative Study of North Carolina and Montana

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatjana Gazibara ◽  
Haomiao Jia ◽  
Erica I. Lubetkin
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Positive Answer ◽  
Annual Income ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Reported Health ◽  
Race Ethnicity

AbstractObjectiveThe emergency preparedness of residents of North Carolina and Montana were compared.MethodsGeneral preparedness was evaluated using responses to 4 questions related to a household's 3-day supply of water, 3-day supply of nonperishable food, a working battery-operated radio, and a working battery-operated flashlight. Each positive answer was awarded 1 point to create an emergency preparedness score that ranged from 0 (minimum) to 4 (maximum). Results were assessed statistically.ResultsThe average emergency preparedness score did not differ between the 2 states (P = .513). One factor influencing higher preparedness in both states was being male. Other influencing factors in North Carolina were older age, being a race/ethnicity other than white, having an annual income of $35 000 or more, having children in the household, better (excellent/very good/good) self-reported health, and not being disabled. In contrast, other factors influencing higher emergency preparedness in Montana were having a college degree and being married or partnered.ConclusionsA divergence was found in factors influencing the likelihood of being prepared. These factors were likely a result of different sociodemographic and geographic characteristics between the 2 states. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-4)

Communicating Public Health Preparedness Information to Pregnant and Postpartum Women: An Assessment of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web Pages

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-137
Author(s):  
Brianna McDonough ◽  
Elizabeth Felter ◽  
Amia Downes ◽  
Jeanette Trauth
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Postpartum Women ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Low Literacy ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Centers For Disease Control

AbstractPregnant and postpartum women have special needs during public health emergencies but often have inadequate levels of disaster preparedness. Thus, improving maternal emergency preparedness is a public health priority. More research is needed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to how preparedness information is communicated to these women. A sample of web pages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intended to address the preparedness needs of pregnant and postpartum populations was examined for suitability for this audience. Five of the 7 web pages examined were considered adequate. One web page was considered not suitable and one the raters split between not suitable and adequate. None of the resources examined were considered superior. If these resources are considered some of the best available to pregnant and postpartum women, more work is needed to improve the suitability of educational resources, especially for audiences with low literacy and low incomes. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:134-137)

A Consensus Process on the Use of Exercises and After Action Reports to Assess and Improve Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Savoia ◽  
Jessica Preston ◽  
Paul D. Biddinger
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Nominal Group ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Consensus Process ◽  
Disaster Victims ◽  
Emergency Preparedness And Response ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness

AbstractIntroductionThe objective of disaster preparedness is to ensure that appropriate systems, procedures, and resources are in place to provide prompt, effective assistance to disaster victims, thus facilitating relief measures and rehabilitation of services. Disaster preparedness efforts include the identification of possible health scenarios based on the probability of hazards and vulnerability of the population as a basis for creating a disaster plan. Exercises that simulate emergency response, involving the health and other sectors, have been suggested as useful tools to test the plans on a regular basis and measure preparedness efforts; the absence of actual testing is likely to negate even the best of abstract plans.ProblemExercises and after action reports (AARs) are used to document preparedness activities. However, to date, limited analysis has been performed on what makes an exercise an effective tool to assess public health emergency preparedness (PHEP), and how AARs can be developed and used to support PHEP improvement efforts. The scope of this project was to achieve consensus on: (1) what makes an exercise an effective tool to assess PHEP; and (2) what makes an AAR an effective tool to guide PHEP improvement efforts.MethodsSixty-one PHEP experts were convened by the use of Nominal Group Techniques to achieve consensus on a series of characteristics that exercises should have when designed to assess PHEP and on the recommendations for developing high-quality AARs.ResultsThe panelists achieved consensus on a list of recommendations to improve the use of exercises and AARs in PHEP improvement efforts. Such recommendations ranged from the characteristics of the exercise audience to the evaluation methodology being used and the characteristics of the produced AAR such as its structure and content.ConclusionsThe characteristics of the exercise audience, scenario and scope are among the most important attributes to the effectiveness of an exercise conducted for PHEP evaluation purposes. The evaluation instruments used to gather observations need an appropriate matching between exercise objectives and the response capabilities tested during the exercise, to build the base for the production of a good AAR. Improvements in the design and creation of exercises and AARs could facilitate better reporting and measurement of preparedness outcomes.SavoiaE, PrestonJ, BiddingerPD. A consensus process on the use of exercises and after action reports to assess and improve public health emergency preparedness and response. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(3):1-4.

scholarly journals Communication, information seeking, and evacuation plans for a disaster using Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response in the Gulf Coast counties of Alabama and Mississippi, 2011

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Buttke, DVM, PhD, MPH ◽  
Sara Vagi, PhD ◽  
Tesfaye Bayleyegn, MD ◽  
Amy Schnall, MPH ◽  
Melissa Morrison, MPH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Public Health Services ◽  
Evacuation Plans ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Coastal Residents

Objective: To determine communication, information seeking, and evacuation behaviors of coastal residents in a disaster-prone area.Design: A two-stage, probability sampling design to select 210 households in each assessment area was used. Data were analyzed using a weighted cluster analysis to report projected households for each assessment area.Setting: Public health services areas of coastal Alabama and Mississippi.Participants: Eligible respondents were 18 years of age or older, had lived in the community for at least 30 days, and were residents of the selected household.Main outcome measures: Evacuation propensity, primary communication forms, primary information forms, and special needs.Results: Most coastal residents would evacuate if recommended by public health authorities. Fewer residents had landlines (45.9-58.8 percent) compared to residents using cellular or mobile phone service only (84.3-95.8 percent), and these residents were significantly older compared to non-landline owning residents. Most residents own pets (61.9-70.1 percent).Conclusions: Our assessment suggests that the majority of Alabama and Mississippi coastal residents plan to evacuate during a disaster if recommended by public health authorities. However, public health authorities should strive to evaluate multiple forms of communication to disseminate disaster preparedness and response messages to reach all vulnerable residents, especially in situations where electric services might be compromised. Emergency preparedness personnel should also be prepared for a large pet population in the event of an evacuation.

scholarly journals (P1-57) Develop New Mechanism of Capacity Building of Disaster Preparedness in China

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s117-s117
Author(s):  
W. Zhang ◽  
B. Huang ◽  
S. Miao ◽  
J. Yao ◽  
B. Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Public Health Professionals

BackgroundChina is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters, it is an important restricting factor for economic and social development. However, Disaster Medicine training is not included in medical education curriculum in China, continual training is separated among public health professionals and clinical personals.MethodsWHO provides technical and financial support for public health emergency preparedness through intensive training and workshop. We intended to develop a new working mechanism under the support of WHO and MOH, China for capacity building of disaster preparedness in China with the combination of public health professionals and clinical personals though TOT training.ResultsThrough the new mechanism, public health professionals from CDC system and clinical personals from hospitals could benefice mutually fro each side and strengthen the effectiveness for the disaster preparedness.ConclusionThe new mechanism increases the effectiveness of capacity building for disaster preparedness, TOT training should transit from national level to local level.

The Integration of Mental and Behavioral Health Into Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betty Pfefferbaum ◽  
Brian W. Flynn ◽  
David Schonfeld ◽  
Lisa M. Brown ◽  
Gerard A. Jacobs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Medical Response ◽  
Response And Recovery

ABSTRACTThe close interplay between mental health and physical health makes it critical to integrate mental and behavioral health considerations into all aspects of public health and medical disaster management. Therefore, the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) convened the Disaster Mental Health Subcommittee to assess the progress of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in integrating mental and behavioral health into disaster and emergency preparedness and response activities. One vital opportunity to improve integration is the development of clear and directive national policy to firmly establish the role of mental and behavioral health as part of a unified public health and medical response to disasters. Integration of mental and behavioral health into disaster preparedness, response, and recovery requires it to be incorporated in assessments and services, addressed in education and training, and founded on and advanced through research. Integration must be supported in underlying policies and administration with clear lines of responsibility for formulating and implementing policy and practice.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:60–66)

Public Health and Primary Care Collaboration: Interactional Factors Influencing Capacity Building

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda O'Mara ◽  
Ruta Valaitis ◽  
Nancy Murray ◽  
Donna Meagher-Stewart ◽  
Sabrina Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Factors Influencing

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS CASE STUDY OF 2012 INDIAN OCEAN EARTHQUAKES ON THAILAND’S

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raya Muttarak ◽  
Wiraporn Pothisiri
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Disaster Experience ◽  
Individual Household ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Individual

In this paper we investigate how well residents of the Andaman coast in Phang Nga province, Thailand, are prepared for earthquakes and tsunami. It is hypothesized that formal education can promote disaster preparedness because education enhances individual cognitive and learning skills, as well as access to information. A survey was conducted of 557 households in the areas that received tsunami warnings following the Indian Ocean earthquakes on 11 April 2012. Interviews were carried out during the period of numerous aftershocks, which put residents in the region on high alert. The respondents were asked what emergency preparedness measures they had taken following the 11 April earthquakes. Using the partial proportional odds model, the paper investigates determinants of personal disaster preparedness measured as the number of preparedness actions taken. Controlling for village effects, we find that formal education, measured at the individual, household, and community levels, has a positive relationship with taking preparedness measures. For the survey group without past disaster experience, the education level of household members is positively related to disaster preparedness. The findings also show that disaster related training is most effective for individuals with high educational attainment. Furthermore, living in a community with a higher proportion of women who have at least a secondary education increases the likelihood of disaster preparedness. In conclusion, we found that formal education can increase disaster preparedness and reduce vulnerability to natural hazards.

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