Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T05:35:55.649Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Does Preparedness Matter? The Influence of Household Preparedness on Disaster Outcomes During Superstorm Sandy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2019

Lauren A. Clay Open the ORCID record for Lauren A. Clay [Opens in a new window] ,
James B. Goetschius ,
Mia A. Papas ,
Joseph Trainor ,
Nuno Martins  and
James M. Kendra
Lauren A. Clay*
Affiliation:
Health Services Administration, D’Youville College, Buffalo, New York Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
James B. Goetschius
Affiliation:
U.S. Army Health Facility Planning Agency, Falls Church, Virginia
Mia A. Papas
Affiliation:
Epidemiology and Health Outcomes Research, Value Institute, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, Delaware
Joseph Trainor
Affiliation:
Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
Nuno Martins
Affiliation:
Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
James M. Kendra
Affiliation:
Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Lauren Clay, D’Youville College, Health Services Administration, 320 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201 (e-mail: clayl@dyc.edu).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

This study empirically examines preparedness with a kit, medication, and a disaster plan on disaster outcomes including perceived recovery, property damage, and use of medical or mental health services.

Methods:

Using a cross-sectional, retrospective study design, 1114 households in New York City were interviewed 21-34 months following Super Storm Sandy. Bivariate associations were examined and logistic regression models fit to predict the odds of disaster outcomes given the level of preparedness.

Results:

Respondents with an evacuation plan were more likely to report not being recovered (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-3.8), property damage (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.9), and use of medical services (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). Respondents reporting a supply of prescription medication were more likely to report using mental health (OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.2-9.8) and medical services (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.8)

Conclusions:

Having a kit, plan, and medication did not reduce risk of adverse outcomes in Superstorm Sandy in this sample. Disaster managers should consider the lack of evidence for preparedness when making public education and resource allocation decisions. Additional research is needed to identify preparedness measures that lead to better outcomes for more efficient and effective response and recovery.

Keywords

emergency preparednessSuper Storm Sandydisastershealth services
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , February 2020 , pp. 71 - 79
Copyright
© 2019 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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

Tierney, KJ, Lindell, M, Perry, R.Facing the Unexpected: Disaster Preparedness and Response in the United States. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press; 2001.Google Scholar
Kohn, S, Eaton, JL, Feroz, S, et al. Personal disaster preparedness: an integrative review of the literature. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2012;6(03):217–231.10.1001/dmp.2012.47CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
FEMA. Build A kit. http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit. Updated 2013. Accessed August 30, 2013.Google Scholar
American Red Cross (ARC). Plan & prepare. http://www.redcross.org/prepare. Updated n.d. Accessed August 30, 2013.Google Scholar
Basolo, V, Steinberg, LJ, Burby, RJ, et al. The effects of confidence in government and information on perceived and actual preparedness for disasters. Environ Behav. 2009;41(3):338–364.10.1177/0013916508317222CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Redlener, IE, Abramson, DM, Stehling-Ariza, NA, et al. The American preparedness project: where the US public stands in 2007 on terrorism, security, and disaster preparedness. 2007. https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8S75R11. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Petkova, EP, Schlegelmilch, J, Sury, J, et al. The American preparedness project: where the US public stands in 2015. https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D84Q7TZN. 2016. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Uscher-Pines, L, Chandra, A, Acosta, J, et al. Citizen preparedness for disasters: are current assumptions valid? Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2012;6(02):170–173.10.1001/dmp.2012.23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, DL, Notaro, SJ.Personal emergency preparedness for people with disabilities from the 2006-2007 behavioral risk factor surveillance system. Disabil Health J. 2009;2(2):86–94.10.1016/j.dhjo.2009.01.001CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clay, LA, Goetschius, JB, Papas, MA, et al. Influence of mental health on disaster preparedness: findings from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system, 2007-2009. J Homel Secur Emerg Manag. 2014;11(3). doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/jhsem-2014-0013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ablah, E, Konda, K, Kelley, CL.Factors predicting individual emergency preparedness: a multi-state analysis of 2006 BRFSS data. Biosecur Bioterror. 2009;7(3):317–330.10.1089/bsp.2009.0022CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCormick, LC, Pevear, J III, Rucks, AC, et al. The effects of the April 2011 tornado outbreak on personal preparedness in Jefferson County, Alabama. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2014;20(4):424–431.10.1097/PHH.0b013e3182a45104CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Auf der Heide E. Disaster Response Principles of Preparation and Coordination. Online edition. 1989. http://coe-dmha.org/Media/Disaster_Response_Principals.pdf.Google Scholar
Mileti, DS.Disasters by Design: A Reassessment of Natural Hazards in the United States. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press; 1999.Google Scholar
Sattler, DN, Kaiser, CF, Hittner, JB.Disaster preparedness: relationships among prior experience, personal characteristics, and distress. J Appl Soc Psychol. 2000;30(7):1396–1420.10.1111/j.1559-1816.2000.tb02527.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eisenman, DP, Zhou, Q, Ong, M, et al. Variations in disaster preparedness by mental health, perceived general health, and disability status. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2009;3(1):33.10.1097/DMP.0b013e318193be89CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Horney, J, Snider, C, Malone, S, et al. Factors associated with hurricane preparedness: results of a pre-hurricane assessment. J Disaster Res. 2008;3(2):1.10.20965/jdr.2008.p0143CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kirschenbaum, A.Disaster preparedness: a conceptual and empirical reevaluation. Int J Mass Emergd Disasters. 2002;20(1):5–28.Google Scholar
Heagele, TN.Lack of evidence supporting the effectiveness of disaster supply kits. Am J Public Health. 2016;106(6):e1–e4.10.2105/AJPH.2016.303445CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blake, ES, Kimberlain, TB, Berg, RJ, et al. Tropical cyclone report Hurricane Sandy. (AL182012). https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL182012_Sandy.pdf. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Dixon, JC, Singleton, RA, Straits, BC.The Process of Social Research. New York: Oxford University Press; 2015.Google Scholar
AAPOR. Response rates: an overview. https://www.aapor.org/Education-Resources/For-Researchers/Poll-Survey-FAQ/Response-Rates-An-Overview.aspx. Updated n.d. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Marken, S. Still listening: the state of telephone surveys. Gallup Methodology Blog. 2018.Google Scholar
Czajka, JL, Beyler, A. Declining response rates in federal surveys: trends and implications (Background Paper). 2016. https://www.mathematica-mpr.com/our-publications-and-findings/publications/declining-response-rates-in-federal-surveys-trends-and-implications-background-paper. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Pew Research Center. What low response rates mean for telephone surveys. 2017. https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2017/05/15/what-low-response-rates-mean-for-telephone-surveys/. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
NYC Department of City Planning. DP05: ACS demographic and housing estimates 2014 American community survey 1-year estimates New York city and boroughs. 2015. https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/data-maps/nyc-population/acs/demo_2014acs1yr_nyc.pdf. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Nejat, A, Brokopp Binder, S, Greer, A, et al. Demographics and the dynamics of recovery: a latent class analysis of disaster recovery priorities after the 2013 Moore, Oklahoma tornado. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 2018;36(1).Google Scholar
Links, JM, Schwartz, BS, Lin, S, et al. COPEWELL: a conceptual framework and system dynamics model for predicting community functioning and resilience after disasters. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2018;12:127–137.10.1017/dmp.2017.39CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aguirre, B, Dynes, R, Kendra, J, et al. Institutional resilience and disaster planning for new hazards: insights from hospitals. J Homel Security Emergency Manag. 2005;2(2). doi: 10.2202/1547-7355.1113CrossRefGoogle Scholar
StataCorp. Stata statistical software: release 13. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP; 2013.Google Scholar
Cohen, J.A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educ Psychol Meas. 1960;20(1):37–46.10.1177/001316446002000104CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NY State Department of Health. Expanded BRFSS 2012-2013 percentage of adults who report poor mental health for 14 or more days in the last month. NY State BRFSS 2012-2013 reports that 10.1% of adults in NYC report poor mental health 14 days or more in the past month. Updated 2013.Google Scholar
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Deaths associated with Hurricane Sandy - October-November 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013;62(20):393–397.Google Scholar
The New York Times. Hurricane Sandy’s deadly toll. The New York Times. November 18 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/nyregion/hurricane-sandys-deadly-toll.html. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Siff, A. Sandy survivor who lost husband, daughter: “I have to get up every day and try”. NBC New York. October 29 2014. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Sandy-Survivor-Staten-Island-Mourns-Daughter-Husband-Died-Storm-Floods-280853042.html. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Weick, KE.The collapse of sensemaking in organizations: the Mann Gulch disaster. Adm Sci Q. 1993;38:628–652.10.2307/2393339CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, JK.Human dimensions of environmental hazards: complexity, disparity, and the search for guidance. In: Kirby, A, ed. Nothing to Fear: Risks and Hazards in American Society. Tucson: University of Arizona Press; 1990:131–175.Google Scholar
Mitchell, JK.The Long Road to Recovery: Community Responses to Industrial Disaster. United Nations University Press New York; 1996.Google Scholar
The Ad Council. Smokey’s history: about the campaign. https://smokeybear.com/en/smokeys-history/about-the-campaign. Updated Last updated, 2016. Accessed August 2, 2019.Google Scholar
Carson, R.Silent Spring. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin; 1962.Google Scholar
Wright, JD, Marsden, PV.Survey research and social science: history, current practice, and future prospects. In: Marsden, PV, Wright, JD, eds. Handbook of Survey Research. 2nd ed. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group; 2010:3–26.Google Scholar
Dillman, DA, Smyth, JD, Christian, LM.Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method. 4th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2014.Google Scholar
APHA. Get ready. http://www.getreadyforflu.org/getreadyday/index.htm. Updated Last updated, n.d.Google Scholar
Currie, D.Public health leaders using social media to convey emergencies: new tools a boon. Nations Health. 2009;39(6):1–10.Google Scholar