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Assessing Household Natural Disaster Preparedness in Shiraz, Iran, 2011: Results of a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2014

Hamideh Mahdaviazad  and
Gholamreza Abdolahifar
Hamideh Mahdaviazad
Affiliation:
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz, Iran Community Medicine Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz, Iran.
Gholamreza Abdolahifar*
Affiliation:
Community Medicine Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz, Iran.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Gholamreza Abdolahifar, Community Medicine Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran (e-mail: [email protected]).
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Abstract

Objective

Public education and training that focus on appropriate knowledge, attitudes, and practices have had a crucial role in preparedness. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices of households regarding natural disasters in Shiraz, Iran.

Methods

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we used a stratified random sampling technique. The data collection tool was a self-administered questionnaire, which was completed in through face-to-face interviews. The data were analyzed with the SPSS statistical software package (version 16).

Results

The overall mean scores were 7.3±2.0 for knowledge, 26.3±6.5 for attitudes, and 5.2±2.2 for practices. Mean scores for all 3 factors were higher in women and married participants. In other comparisons, the differences were statistically significant only for the associations between gender and the score for practices. The mean knowledge score was lower in illiterate participants than in other categories of educational status.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that the knowledge of households regarding disaster preparedness was encouraging, but that of attitudes and practices might be improved through a greater focus on motivational educational programs and cooperation among the organizations involved in public awareness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1–4)

Keywords

natural disastersknowledgeattitudepracticeShirazpreparednesshousehold
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , August 2014 , pp. 349 - 352
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

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