[A survey on the required roles of dietitians in providing nutritional and dietary support during natural disasters]

Objectives　When large-scale natural disasters occur, the Japan Dietetic Association-Disaster Assistance Team (JDA-DAT) dispatches dietitians to disaster-affected areas, where they collaborate with the affected local governments to provide nutrition and dietary support. Recognizing local government needs may result in more effective support. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the types of tasks that local government officials expect from JDA-DAT as aid providers. The findings of this study will contribute to the development of a more comprehensive disaster support system.Methods　A nationwide survey was conducted targeting officials in the nutrition-related and disaster management departments of local governments nationwide. The survey investigated the priority of tasks expected of the JDA-DAT in disaster-affected areas and the types of tasks the recipients would like the JDA-DAT to undertake outside the disaster area (backup support). The priorities of tasks expected of the JDA-DAT in disaster-affected areas were classified as follows: ratings of 4 and 5 were considered high priority, 3 as medium priority, and 1 and 2 as low priority.Results　The tasks in disaster-affected areas expected of the JDA-DAT, ranked in order of highest priority, were as follows: "tailored nutritional counseling for individuals necessitating special consideration who require nutrition and dietary support", "identification of residents requiring nutrition and dietary support (nutritional assessment) at evacuation shelters", "assessment of meal conditions at evacuation shelters and proposals for provided meals based on nutrient adequacy or deficiency (e.g., menu planning)", "management of stockpiled food and relief supplies (special dietary products): sorting special dietary products from general food items", and "support for coordination of provided meals (soup kitchens and boxed meal distribution): hygiene guidance". The items with high priority were similar in prefectural government offices and ordinance-designated cities/special wards, whereas some items were assigned high priority in municipalities (cities, towns, and villages).Conclusions　The local government officials anticipate a wide range of support activities from the JDA-DAT. In particular, identifying individuals requiring special consideration and providing individualized support have received high priority. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the priority of requested support varies according to the type of municipality, underscoring the significance of supporters in understanding the roles of different local governments when engaging in disaster support activities.