Unveiling Disparities in Pediatric Wildfire Preparedness: A Novel, Mixed-Methods Framework for Family Resilience

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Public Health
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Wildfires pose increasing threats to communities, particularly impacting children's health and safety.
• Existing research often overlooks specific disparities in household preparedness for wildfire events.
• Understanding these gaps is crucial for developing effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify disparities and systemic barriers in pediatric wildfire preparedness among diverse households.
• To assess household readiness for wildfires, including item, action, and overall preparedness.
• To explore factors influencing caregiver preparedness and identify novel intervention opportunities.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach using literacy-adapted surveys (N=75) and semi-structured interviews (N=9) with caregivers.
• Recruitment of English- and Spanish-speaking caregivers of children in an urban pediatric emergency department.
• Analysis combining multivariable regression, qualitative coding, and convergent methodology to assess wildfire preparedness outcomes (WIP, WAP, WOP).

Main Results:

• Half of surveyed households demonstrated inadequate wildfire preparedness.
• While item preparedness (WIP: 80.6%) was high, action preparedness (WAP: 18.6%) was significantly lower.
• Lower socioeconomic status, younger caregiver age, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and financial stressors were associated with reduced preparedness. Renters faced systematic barriers, while a child's chronic condition improved readiness.

Conclusions:

• Significant inequities exist in pediatric wildfire preparedness, threatening children's health and resilience.
• Urgent, targeted actions are needed, including increased access to smoke mitigation supplies and improved renter safety.
• Strengthening school and community wildfire response plans is essential to address identified gaps.