Risk perception and perceived self-efficacy of deaf and hard-of-hearing seniors and young adults in emergencies

Alina Engelman, DrPH, MPH; Susan L. Ivey, MD, MHSA; Winston Tseng, PhD; Linda Neuhauser, DrPH, MPH

doi:10.5055/jem.2017.0309

Authors

Alina Engelman, DrPH, MPH
Susan L. Ivey, MD, MHSA
Winston Tseng, PhD
Linda Neuhauser, DrPH, MPH

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2017.0309

Keywords:

deaf, hard-of-hearing, disability, disasters, accessibility, emergencies, communication, emergency preparedness, risk perception, self-efficacy, qualitative methods, elderly, seniors, young adults

Abstract

Objectives: The authors explored the factors influencing risk perception and perceived self-efficacy before and during an emergency for deaf and hard-of-hearing (Deaf/HH) seniors and young adults.

Methods: The authors collected demographic survey data and conducted four focus groups with 38 Deaf/HH residents of the San Francisco Bay Area; two groups were with young adults (ages 18-35), including one group of college students and one group of young professionals, and two were with older adults (ages 50-90).

Results: Significant differences were found between Deaf/HH young adults and seniors in both the sources of self-efficacy and risk perception and their attitudes toward preparedness. All groups demonstrated high resilience. Deaf/HH young professionals expressed more concern about their risk in an emergency than Deaf/HH college students. Alternately, the risk perception of Deaf/HH older adults was often rooted in their past experiences (survival of past emergencies, inaccessibility of communications during drills).

Conclusions: Policy implications include the need to dedicate more resources to increasing accessibility and relevance of emergency communications technology for Deaf/HH populations. This could help increase adaptability before, during, and after emergencies among all groups of Deaf/HH people, particularly among young Deaf/HH professionals.

Author Biographies

Alina Engelman, DrPH, MPH

Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, California

Susan L. Ivey, MD, MHSA

Health Research for Action, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California

Winston Tseng, PhD

Health Research for Action, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California

Linda Neuhauser, DrPH, MPH

Health Research for Action, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California

References

Stout C, Heppner C, Brick K: Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Communication Access: Lessons Learned Since 9/11 and Recommendations. Fairfax, VA: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network (DHHCAN) and Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons, 2004. 2. Aguirre B: The lack of warnings before the Saragosa Tornado. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 1988; 6(1): 65-74.

Aldrich N, Benson WF: Disaster preparedness and the chronic disease needs of vulnerable older adults. Preventing Chronic Disease. 2008; 5(1): A27.

Messias DK, Lacy E: Katrina-related health concerns of Latino survivors and evacuees. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2007; 18(2): 443-464.

Yelvington KA: Coping in a temporary way: The tent cities. In Hurricane Andrew: Ethnicity, Gender, and the Sociology of Disasters. New York City, NY: Routledge, 1997.

Phillips B, Morrow B: Social science research needs: Focus on vulnerable populations, forecasting, and warnings. Nat Hazards Rev. 2007; 8(3): 61-68.

Phillips B: Cultural diversity in disasters: Sheltering, housing, and long-term recovery. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 1993; 11: 99-110.

Fothergill A, Maestas E, Darlington J: Race, ethnicity and disasters in the United States: A review of the literature. Disasters. 1999; 23: 156-173.

Klinenberg E: Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago. Chicago, IL: University Of Chicago Press, 2002.

Institute of Medicine: Research Priorities in Emergency Preparedness and Response for Public Health Systems: A Letter Report. Washington, DC: Committee on Research Priorities in Emergency Preparedness and Response for Public Health Systems, Board on Health Sciences Policy, Institute of Medicine, 2008.

Government Accountability Office: National Disaster Response—FEMA Should Take Action to Improve Capacity and Coordination Between Government and Voluntary Sectors. Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2008.

Department of Homeland Security: National Response Framework. Washington, DC: DHS, 2008.

Wood V, Weisman R: A hole in the weather warning system. Bull Am Meteorol Soc. 2003; 84: 187-194.

McClelland E, Amlôt R, Rogers MB, et al.: Psychological and physical impacts of extreme events on older adults: Implications for communications. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2016; 20: 1-8

Ivey SL, Dahrouge D, Tseng W, et al.: Assessment of state- and territorial-level preparedness capacity for serving deaf and hard-of-hearing populations in disasters. Public Health Rep. 2014; 129(2): 148-155.

Engelman A, Ivey SL, Tseng W, et al.: Responding to the deaf in disasters: Establishing the need for systematic training for state-level emergency management agencies and community organizations. BMC Health Serv Res. 2013; 13: 84.

Neuhauser L, Ivey SL, Huang D, et al.: Availability and readability of emergency preparedness materials for deaf and hard-of-hearing and older adult populations: Issues and assessments. PLoS ONE. 2013; 8(2): e55614.

National Council on Disability: Saving Lives: Including People With Disabilities in Emergency Planning. Washington, DC, 2005.

National Center for Accessible Media: Emergency Management Survey Report. Boston, MA: WGBH-Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family, 2009.

The Center for Universal Design: About the center: Ronald L Mace. North Carolina State University College of Design, 2008. Available at https://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/about_us/usronmace.htm. Accessed July 14, 2016.

Institute for Human-Centered Design (IHCD): History of Universal Design. Institute for Human-Centered Design, 2016. Available at http://www.humancentereddesign.org/universaldesign/history-universal-design. Accessed July 14, 2016.

United States Government Printing Office: Americans with Disabilities Act, Pub L No. 101-336, 101 Stat 327 (1990). Available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-104/pdf/STATUTE-104-Pg327.pdf. Accessed July 13, 2016.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Quick Statistics. Available at http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick.htm. Accessed August 31, 2015.

Shin H, Bruno R: Language Use and English-Speaking Ability: 2000. Washington, DC: US Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau, 2003.

Kutner M, Greenberg E, Baer J: National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL): A First Look at the Literacy of America's Adults in the 21st Century. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2005.

Lin FR, Niparko JK, Ferrucci L: Hearing loss prevalence in the United States. Arch Intern Med. 2011; 171(20): 1851-1852.

Dahrouge D, Ivey SL, Tseng W, et al.: Policy Recommendations: Communication and Media Access: Advancing Universal Design of Emergency Alert Systems. Berkeley: Health Research for Action, University of California at Berkeley, 2012.

Steinberg AG, Wiggins EA, Barmada CH, et al.: Deaf women: Experiences and perceptions of healthcare system access. J Women’s Health. 2002; 11(8): 729–741.

Lincoln YS, Guba EG: Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 1985.

Borkan J: Immersion/crystallization. In Crabtree BF, Miller WL (eds.): Doing Qualitative Research. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1999.

Heid AR, Pruchno R, Cartwright RP, et al.: Exposure to Hurricane Sandy, neighborhood collective efficacy, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2016; 1-9 (in press).

Powell S, Louise P, Patti G: When ageing and disasters collide: Lessons from 16 international case studies. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2009; 134(3-4): 202-206.

Engelman A, Ivey SL, Dahrouge D, et al.: Policy recommendations: Closing the Gap in All-Hazards Communication Access for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Through Standardization of Training. Berkeley: Health Research for Action, University of California at Berkeley, 2012.

Twigg J, Kett M, Bottomley H, et al.: Disability and public shelter in emergencies. Environ Hazards. 2011; 10(3): 248-261.

National Council on Disability: The impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on persons with disabilities: A look back and remaining challenges. 2006. Available at http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2006/Aug072006. Accessed November 3, 2016.