Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T22:46:43.800Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Assessing Household Natural Disaster Preparedness in Shiraz, Iran, 2011: Results of a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2014

Hamideh Mahdaviazad  and
Gholamreza Abdolahifar
Hamideh Mahdaviazad
Affiliation:
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz, Iran Community Medicine Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz, Iran.
Gholamreza Abdolahifar*
Affiliation:
Community Medicine Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz, Iran.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Gholamreza Abdolahifar, Community Medicine Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran (e-mail: abdolahigh@sums.ac.ir).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

Public education and training that focus on appropriate knowledge, attitudes, and practices have had a crucial role in preparedness. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices of households regarding natural disasters in Shiraz, Iran.

Methods

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we used a stratified random sampling technique. The data collection tool was a self-administered questionnaire, which was completed in through face-to-face interviews. The data were analyzed with the SPSS statistical software package (version 16).

Results

The overall mean scores were 7.3±2.0 for knowledge, 26.3±6.5 for attitudes, and 5.2±2.2 for practices. Mean scores for all 3 factors were higher in women and married participants. In other comparisons, the differences were statistically significant only for the associations between gender and the score for practices. The mean knowledge score was lower in illiterate participants than in other categories of educational status.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that the knowledge of households regarding disaster preparedness was encouraging, but that of attitudes and practices might be improved through a greater focus on motivational educational programs and cooperation among the organizations involved in public awareness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1–4)

Keywords

natural disastersknowledgeattitudepracticeShirazpreparednesshousehold
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , August 2014 , pp. 349 - 352
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Daneshmandi, M, Amiri, H, Vahedi, M, et al. Assessing the level of preparedness for confronting crisis such as flood, earthquake, fire and storm in some selected hospitals of Iran. Iran J Military Med. 2010; 12:167-171.Google Scholar
2. Keeney, GB. Disaster preparedness: what do we do now? J Midwifery Womens Health. 2004; 49(suppl 1):2-6.10.1016/j.jmwh.2004.05.003Google Scholar
3. Mahdaviazad, H, Abdolahifar, GH. Assessing hospital disaster preparedness in Shiraz, Iran 2011: teaching versus private hospitals. Am J Disaster Med. 2013; 8:65-73.10.5055/ajdm.2013.0112Google Scholar
4. Abd elazzeem, H, Adam, S, Mohamad, G. Awareness of hospital internal disaster management plan among health team members in a university hospital. Life Sci J. 2011; 8(2):42-52.Google Scholar
5. Izadkhah, YO, Hosseini, KA. An evaluation of disaster preparedness in four major earthquakes in Iran. J Seismol Earthquake Eng. 2010; 12:61-75.Google Scholar
6. Ghafory-Ashtiany, M. National Report of the Islamic Republic of Iran on disaster reduction. World Conference on Disaster Reduction; January 19, 2005; Kobe: Japan. http://www.unisdr.org/2005/wcdr/thematic-sessions/presentations/session5-1/iiees-ghafory-ashtiany.pdf.Google Scholar
7. Ardalan, A, Masoomi, GR, Goya, MM, et al. Disaster health management: Iran’s progress and challenges. Iran J Publ Health. 2009; 38(suppl 1):93-97.Google Scholar
8. Sutton, J, Tierney, K. Disaster preparedness: concepts, guidance, and research. Fritz Institute Assessing Disaster Preparedness Conference; November 3-4, 2006; Sebastopol, California. http://www.fritzinstitute.org/pdfs/whitepaper/disasterpreparedness-concepts.pdf.Google Scholar
9. Levac, L. O' Sullivan TL. Household emergency preparedness: a literature review. J Community Health. 2012; 37:725-733.10.1007/s10900-011-9488-xGoogle Scholar
10. Taghizadeh, AO, Hosseini, M, Navidi, I, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice of Tehran’s inhabitants for an earthquake and related determinants. PLoS Curr. 2012; August 6; 4: e4fbbbe1668eef.Google Scholar
11. Léger Marketing. Thornley Fallis Allstate Insurance Study; August 12, 2011. http://www.legermarketing. com/documents/SPCLM/09541ENG.pdf.Google Scholar
12. Lemyre, L, Lee, JEC, Turner, MC, et al. Terrorism preparedness in Canada: a public survey on perceived institutional and individual response to terrorism. Int J Emerg Manag. 2007; 4(2):296-315.10.1504/IJEM.2007.013995Google Scholar
13. Enarson, E, Walsh, S. Integrating emergency management and high-risk populations: survey report and action recommendations; December 19, 2011. http://www redcross.ca/cmslib/general/dm_high_risk_populations.pdf#search =Integrating.Google Scholar