Developing a Performance Assessment Framework and Indicators for Communicable Disease Management in Natural Disasters

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Disaster Management
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Communicable disease management (CDM) is critical in disaster public health response.
• Existing performance assessment (PA) frameworks and indicators for CDM in disasters are lacking.
• This study addresses the need for a structured PA approach in disaster CDM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive performance assessment (PA) framework for communicable disease management (CDM) in disaster settings.
• To identify and establish relevant performance indicators for evaluating CDM during disasters.
• To provide a tool for enhancing the effectiveness of public health responses to disasters.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review (SLR) to identify existing PA frameworks and indicators.
• Qualitative interviews with selected experts to inform framework and indicator development.
• Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for weighting the developed indicators.

Main Results:

• The Input-Process-Products-Outcomes (IPPO) framework was identified as suitable for CDM PA.
• Seven core functions of CDM during disasters were identified.
• Forty PA indicators were developed across four categories (input, process, products, outcomes).

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists in performance assessment tools for CDM during disasters.
• The developed IPPO framework offers a structured approach to PA for disaster CDM.
• The IPPO framework and its indicators are proposed as effective tools for measuring CDM performance in disaster response.