Empowering Nurses to Enhance Disaster Preparedness for Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Emergency Preparedness
• Hematology

Background:

• Extreme weather and emergencies disproportionately affect individuals with sickle cell disease, leading to increased hospitalizations.
• There is limited understanding of home disaster preparedness among individuals with sickle cell disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate home disaster preparedness in adults with sickle cell disease.
• To identify education and resource needs for this population.
• To explore the link between healthcare provider discussions and preparedness levels.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was administered to US adults with sickle cell disease (N=32).
• Preparedness was assessed using the Household Emergency Preparedness Instrument.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and Welch t tests.

Main Results:

• The average General Preparedness score indicated that most participants were not well-prepared for disasters.
• Participants who discussed disaster preparedness with healthcare providers reported higher preparedness scores.

Conclusions:

• Home disaster preparedness for individuals with sickle cell disease requires improvement to reduce health risks during emergencies.
• Healthcare provider engagement regarding disaster preparedness is associated with better outcomes.
• Nurses should lead initiatives for disaster preparedness education, community interventions, and policy development for this vulnerable group.