Ardalan A, Mowafi H, Malekafzali Ardakani H, Abolhasanai F, Zanganeh AM, Safizadeh H, Salari S, Zonoobi V. Disaster Med. Public Health Prep. 2013; 7(5): 481-490.
Affiliation
Department of Disaster and Emergency Health, National Institute of Health Research, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effectiveness of a capacity-building intervention administered through a primary health care (PHC) system on community disaster preparedness in Iran.
METHODS: A controlled community intervention trial with pre- and postassessments was conducted in 2011 in 3 provinces of Iran. In each province, 2 areas were chosen and randomly selected as an intervention or control group. A total of 9200 households were in the intervention area and 10 010 were in the control area. In each study group in each province 250 households were sampled for pre- and postassessment surveys. Community health volunteers led by PHC staff administered an educational intervention covering elements of hazard awareness and preparedness, with a focus on earthquakes and floods. Relative changes for awareness and readiness scores were assessed to demonstrate changes in outcome variables from pre- to postassessments in intervention and control groups. An effectiveness test of significance was based on interaction between time and area.
RESULTS: Households in intervention communities exhibited improved disaster awareness and readiness with respect to all outcome measures. Relative changes in awareness in intervention and control areas were 2.94 and -0.08, respectively (P < .001). Relative changes for readiness scores were 5.52 in intervention areas and 0.56 in control areas (P < .001). Relative changes for awareness and readiness were significantly correlated with a community's baseline risk perception and previous experience with natural disasters (P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: An educational intervention administered through the PHC system effectively improved disaster awareness and readiness at a community level. For sustainability, community disaster reduction programs must be integrated into routine public health service delivery. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:481-490).