Disaster preparedness education in South Los Angeles faith-based organizations: A pilot study in promoting personal and community preparedness and resiliency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2014.0180Keywords:
faith-based, disaster, education, preparedness, ResiliencyAbstract
Introduction: Faith-based organizations (FBOs) often provide crucial services to their communities during and after disasters, but they largely operate outside of the formal structures that manage disaster preparedness and response. Their status within communities and ability to reach broad populations make them potentially powerful groups to lead and promote health and safety initiatives. Thus, there is opportunity to reduce health and knowledge disparities and increase disaster resiliency by providing disaster preparedness education through FBOs.
Problem: This pilot study aims to assess and enhance the current level of disaster knowledge and preparedness of congregation members from six FBOs in the Los Angeles County South Service Planning Area (SPA 6) to promote their community's disaster resiliency.
Methods: A structured basic disaster education curriculum was implemented at six FBOs, and participants completed a questionnaire, pre-test and posttest, and satisfaction survey. Frequency distributions of survey questions and mean differences of pre- and post-test scores were obtained.
Results: Results of the questionnaire indicated that more than half of the participants had previous experience with disaster preparedness and had taken some steps toward stockpiling supplies but showed gaps in making concrete evacuation plans and meeting places. The mean disaster knowledge test score increased from 5.15 for the pre-test to 8.04 for the post-test (p < 0.0001). The participants reported high satisfaction with the seminar.
Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrated that there is interest, as well as need, within the faith-based community to increase personal and community disaster preparedness. The implementation of a structured disaster education seminar for congregation members showed significant immediate improvement in disaster knowledge of the participants.
References
Born CT, Briggs SM, Ciraulo DL, et al.: Disasters and mass casualties: I. General principles of response and management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2007; 15(7): 388-396.
Falkiner L: Impact analysis of the Canadian Red Cross Expect the Unexpected Program. Available at http://www.redcross.ca/crc/documents/3-1-3-1-Independent-Impact-Analysis.pdf. Accessed March 24, 2014.
Paton D, McClure J, Bürgelt PT: Natural hazard resilience: The role of individual and household preparedness. In Paton D, Johnston D (eds.): Disaster Resilience: An Integrated Approach. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 2006: 105-127.
Olshansky RB, Kartez JD: Managing Land Use to Build Resilience. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press, 1998.
Nelson AC French SP: Plan quality and mitigating damage from natural disasters: A case study of the Northridge earthquake with planning policy considerations. J Am Planning Assoc. 2002; 68(2): 194-207.
Mader GG: Enduring land-use planning lessons from the 1971 San Fernando earthquake. Earthquake Spectra. 1997; 13(1): 45-53.
Burby RJ, May PJ: Making Governments Plan: State Experiments in Managing Land Use. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.
Berke P, Beatley T: Planning for Earthquakes: Risk, Politics, and Policy. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991.
Diekman ST, Kearney SP, O'Neil ME, et al.: Qualitative study of homeowners' emergency preparedness: Experiences, perceptions, and practices. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2007; 22(6): 494-501.
True NA, Adedoyin JD, Shofer FS, et al.: 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): 127-131.
Stajura M, Glik D, Eisenman D, et al.: Perspectives of community- and faith-based organizations about partnering with local health departments for disasters. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012; 9(7): 2293-2311.
Pant AT, Kirsch TD, Subbarao IR, et al.: Faith-based organizations and sustainable sheltering operations in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina: Implications for informal network utilization. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2008; 23(1): 48-54; discussion 55-46.
DeHaven MJ, Hunter IB, Wilder L, et al.: Health programs in faith-based organizations: Are they effective? Am J Public Health. 2004; 94(6): 1030-1036.
Campbell MK, Hudson MA, Resnicow K, et al.: Church-based health promotion interventions: Evidence and lessons learned. Annu Rev Public Health. 2007; 28: 213-234.
Asomugha CN, Derose KP, Lurie N: Faith-based organizations, science, and the pursuit of health. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2011; 22(1): 50-55.
Al-Rousan TM, Rubenstein LM, Wallace RB: Preparedness for natural disasters among older US adults: A nationwide survey. Am J Public Health. 2014; 104(3): 506-511.
Glik DC, Eisenman DP, Zhou Q, et al.: Using the precaution adoption process model to describe a disaster preparedness intervention among low-income Latinos. Health Educ Res. 2014; 29(2): 272-283.
Baker LR, Cormier LA: Disaster preparedness and families of children with special needs: A geographic comparison. J Community Health. 2013; 38(1): 106-112.
CDC: Public health workbook to define, locate and reach special, vulnerable, and at-risk populations in an emergency. Available at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/workbook/pdf/ph_workbookFINAL.pdf. Accessed March 24, 2013.
Sutherland M, Hale CD, Harris GJ: Community health promotion: The church as partner. J Prim Prev. 1995; 16(2): 201-216.
McCabe OL, Lating JM, Everly GS Jr, et al.: Psychological first aid training for the faith community: A model curriculum. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 2007; 9(3): 181-191.
Kohn S, Eaton JL, Feroz S, et al.: Personal disaster preparedness: An integrative review of the literature. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2012; 6(3): 217-231.
Muller VM, Burke RV, Berg BM, et al.: A mixed-methods pilot study of disaster preparedness and resiliency among faith-based organizations. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014; 29(2): 127-133.
Walter J: World Disasters Report 2004: Focus on Community Resilience. Bloomfield, CT: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresecent Societites, 2004.
Cutter SL Barnes L, Berry M, et al.: A place-based model for understanding community resilience to natural disasters. Global Environ Chang. 2008; 18(4): 598-606.
McCabe OL, Marum F, Mosley A, et al.: Community capacity building in disaster mental health resilience: A pilot study of an academic/faith partnership model. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 2012;14(2):112-122.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright 2007-2023, Weston Medical Publishing, LLC
All Rights Reserved
