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Level of Disaster Preparedness in Patients Visiting the Emergency Department: Results of the Civilian Assessment of Readiness for Disaster (CARD) Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2013

Nicholas A. True ,
Juliana D. Adedoyin ,
Frances S. Shofer ,
Eddie K. Hasty  and
Jane H. Brice
Nicholas A. True*
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA
Juliana D. Adedoyin
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA
Frances S. Shofer
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA
Eddie K. Hasty
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA
Jane H. Brice
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA
*
Correspondence: Nicholas A. True Department of Emergency Medicine University of North Carolina CB# 7594 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7594 USA E-mail nicholas_true@med.unc.edu
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Abstract

Background

Patients seeking care in public hospitals are often resource-limited populations who have in past disasters become the most vulnerable. The objective of this study was to determine the personal disaster preparedness of emergency department (ED) patients and to identify predictors of low levels of preparedness. It was hypothesized that vulnerable populations would be better prepared for disasters.

Methods

A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted over a one-year period of patients seeking care in a public university hospital ED (census 65,000). Exclusion criteria were mentally impaired, institutionalized, or non-English speaking subjects. Subjects completed an anonymous survey detailing the 15 personal preparedness items from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster preparedness checklist as well as demographic characteristics. Summary statistics were used to describe general preparedness. Chi-square tests were used to compare preparedness by demographics.

Results

During the study period, 857/1000 subjects completed the survey. Participants were predominantly male (57%), Caucasian (65%), middle-aged (mean 45 years), and high school graduates (83%). Seventeen percent (n = 146) reported having special needs and 8% were single parents. Most participants were not prepared: 451 (53%) had >75% of checklist items, 393 (46%) had food and water for 3 days, and 318 (37%) had food, water, and >75% of items. Level of preparedness was associated with age and parenting. Those aged 44 and older were more likely to be prepared for a disaster compared to younger respondents. (43.3% vs 31.1%, P = .0002). Similarly, single parents were more likely to be prepared than dual parenting households (47.1 vs 32.9%, P = .03).

Conclusions

This study and others have found that only the minority of any group is actually prepared for disaster. Future research should focus on ways to implement disaster preparedness education, specifically targeting vulnerable populations, then measuring the effects of educational programs to demonstrate that preparedness has increased as a result.

TrueNA, AdedoyinJD, ShoferFS, HastyEK, BriceJH. Level of Disaster Preparedness in Patients Visiting the Emergency Department: Results of the Civilian Assessment of Readiness for Disaster (CARD) Survey. Prehosp Disaster Med.2013;28(2):1-5.

Keywords

disaster planningemergency medicineemergency preparednessvulnerable populations
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , April 2013 , pp. 127 - 131
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2013

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