Citation

Hipper TJ, Davis R, Massey PM, Turchi RM, Lubell KM, Pechta LE, Rose DA, Wolkin A, Briseño L, Franks JL, Chernak E. Health Secur. 2018; 16(3): 178-192.

Affiliation

Thomas J. Hipper, MSPH, MA, is Program Manager, Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health; Renee Davis, MD, MPH, is Program Coordinator/Research Associate, Maternal and Child Health Program, Department of Community Health and Prevention; Philip M. Massey, PhD, MPH, is Assistant Professor, Department of Community Health and Prevention; all are at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA. Renee M. Turchi, MD, MPH, is Section Chief, General Pediatrics, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University, College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA. Keri M. Lubell, PhD, is a Behavioral Scientist; Laura E. Pechta, PhD, is a Health Communication Specialist; Dale A. Rose, PhD, is Associate Director for Science; and Lisa Briseño, MS, is a Health Communication Specialist; all in the Division of Emergency Operations; Amy Wolkin, DrPH, is Vulnerable Populations Officer; all are in the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Jessica L. Franks, MPH, CHES, is Health Communications Fellow, Division of Human Development & Disability, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, and Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, CDC Research Participation Programs, Oak Ridge, TN. Esther Chernak, MD, MPH, is Director, Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication, and Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, and Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia, PA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/hs.2018.0007

PMID

29883200

Abstract

Families with children who have access and mobility challenges, chronic illness, or intellectual or developmental disabilities require targeted messages before, during, and after disasters to ensure that they understand risks to their children's health and can take measures to avoid harm and build resilience. A scoping review was conducted to assess current evidence for optimal ways to address the disaster information needs and communication preferences of families with children and youth with special healthcare needs. The disaster information needs of such families remain understudied, with few published evidence-based practices. Much of the relevant research focuses on information content, specifically the preparedness needs of these families; disaster recovery information for them remains a major gap. The few studies that have been performed suggest that parents with children and youth with special healthcare needs require additional information, education, and training to develop an effective disaster preparedness plan for their children. They are also largely unaware of schools' disaster plans, and schools are often unable to meet parents' expectations for timely, accurate information during a disaster. Several guidance documents highlighted the importance of completing an emergency information form before an event. Several studies suggested that one-on-one education or counseling was a strategy for encouraging preparedness planning; others highlighted potential value in incorporating families directly into disaster risk reduction planning. Evidence about channel preferences and their effectiveness in this population was generally lacking. Future studies should expand the evidence basis for optimal communication during all disaster phases both with parents of children and youth with special healthcare needs and with children directly.

Language: en

Keywords

At-risk populations; Children and youth with special healthcare needs; Public health preparedness/response; Risk communication