Disaster preparedness beliefs and response self-efficacy after Health Belief Model-based education in nursing...

Nurses' beliefs about disaster preparedness and their self-efficacy levels regarding disaster response are important for maintaining the functioning of the healthcare system and ensuring continuity of care during disasters. This study aims to evaluate the effect of Health Belief Model (HBM)-based education on nursing students' general disaster preparedness beliefs and their self-efficacy for disaster response.

The study was conducted using a quasi-experimental two-group pretest-posttest design with fourth-year students enrolled in the nursing departments of two universities in eastern Türkiye. The programme delivered weekly 60-minute HBM-based sessions over eight consecutive weeks to 185 students and covered all disaster management phases. The research established two groups, which received either traditional classroom instruction or educational materials presented through scenario-based learning. The research used two assessment tools, which included the General Disaster Preparedness Belief Scale (GDPBS) and the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES). Analysis of covariance was additionally performed to adjust post-test scores for the single baseline imbalance observed between groups.

Both groups showed significant pre-to-post improvements on GDPBS (Education: t(76) = - 3.07, p = .003; Scenario: t(107) = - 3.06, p = .003) and DRSES (Education: t(76) = - 2.45, p = .017; Scenario: t(107) = - 2.58, p = .011) total scores. Separate analyses of each subscale showed that education participants achieved greater gains in their understanding of obstacles (t(183) = 3.59, p < .001, d = 0.50) and their ability to take action (t(183) = 2.68, p = .008, d = 0.41), whereas the scenario group demonstrated higher self-efficacy for role quality (t(183) = - 2.38, p = .018, d = 0.36). The two groups showed comparable improvement in psychological nursing self-efficacy. Total scores between groups showed no substantial differences, and these format-specific subscale effects persisted after ANCOVA adjustment.

The HBM-based disaster education programme supports students' development of disaster readiness beliefs and enhanced abilities to respond during emergencies. The instructional methods show different strengths at the individual subscale level, highlighting their potential to work together in nursing education programmes.