Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits
Published on: September 27, 2019
Introducing the K-HEPI: A Breakthrough in Evaluating Household Disaster Preparedness Among Korean-Speaking
William Samuels1, Tara N Heagele1, Jung Moon Hyun2
1Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing, https://ror.org/00g2xk477Hunter College, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
Objectives:
The aims of this study were to field and pilot test the Korean version of the Household Emergency Preparedness Instrument (K-HEPI) and perform psychometric testing of the instrument's reliability and validity.
Methods:
The English to Korean translation followed a symmetrical translation approach utilizing a decentered process (i.e., both the source and target languages were considered equally important) focusing on the instruments remaining loyal to the content. After translation, the K-HEPI was field tested with 30 bilingual participants who all reported that the instructions were easy to understand and the items aligned closely with the original English version. The K-HEPI was then pilot tested with 399 Korean-speaking participants in a controlled, before-after study utilizing a disaster preparedness educational intervention.
Results:
Confirmatory factor analyses supported the K-HEPI retaining the factor structure of the original English version. The K-HEPI was also found to be psychometrically comparable to the original instrument.
Conclusions:
The K-HEPI can validly and reliably assess the disaster preparedness of Korean-speaking populations, enabling clinicians, researchers, emergency management professionals, and policymakers to gather accurate data on disaster preparedness levels in Korean communities, identify gaps in preparedness, develop targeted interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of disaster preparedness interventions over time.
Related Concept Videos
Preparedness and Phobias
Applications of GIS: Disaster Management and Emergency Response
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Bystander Effect
Survey Safety

