Identifying the Key Factors Influencing Risk Perception Among Healthcare Workers in the Context of Disasters; A...

Risk perception is a cognitive, multidimensional process through which individuals identify and assess potential threats. This study aimed to systematically review the recent research to identify the key factors influencing the risk perception within healthcare workers operating in critical and disaster scenarios.

This study was conducted as a systematic review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. A search was performed for articles published between January 2014 and July 2025 in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Of the 2,154 initial articles, 10 eligible studies were included in the analysis following screening and quality assessment. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies addressing factors influencing healthcare workers' risk perception during disasters were selected, and the data were coded and categorized using thematic analysis.

The analysis of the 10 selected studies identified a central theme titled "Factors Influencing Risk Perception," which was further divided into five key domains: 1) Demographic and individual factors, 2) Experience and exposure to risk, 3) Knowledge resources and information capital, 4) Cognitive-emotional attitudes and beliefs, and 5) Protective behaviors and measures.

This review demonstrates that healthcare workers' risk perception during disasters is a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by the interaction of individual, experiential, knowledge-based, emotional, and behavioral factors. Understanding these dimensions is crucial for explaining responses and designing interventions to enhance resilience and preparedness among healthcare workers. Based on the conceptual framework, it is recommended that educational programs and organizational policies consider demographic differences, experiences, and the psychosocial needs of staff.