Individual emergency-preparedness efforts: A social justice perspective

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Emergency Management
• Social Justice

Background:

• The United States has faced numerous disasters since 2010, impacting millions.
• Vulnerable populations, including those with chronic conditions, disabilities, and the elderly, often experience access and service gaps during emergencies.
• There is a notable lack of research on the emergency preparedness capacity of individual community members.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of individuals in preparing for emergencies.
• To offer insights into emergency preparedness from a social justice framework.
• To identify challenges and facilitators influencing emergency preparedness among vulnerable groups.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive qualitative study design was employed.
• Interviews were conducted with 13 participants from a medical outreach clinic, focusing on low-income, uninsured, or under-insured individuals.
• Data analysis focused on identifying emergent themes directly from participant experiences.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged: evaluation of emergency preparedness education, development of emergency plans, challenges encountered during preparation, and facilitators of preparedness.
• Participants' experiences highlighted specific barriers and enablers to their ability to prepare for emergencies.
• The findings underscore the need to consider the unique circumstances of vulnerable populations.

Conclusions:

• Identifying challenges faced by vulnerable populations is essential for developing effective emergency preparedness strategies.
• The capacity of individuals, particularly those with limited incomes, to implement preparedness measures must be considered.
• Addressing the needs of vulnerable populations in emergency planning is a social justice imperative, promoting national resilience.