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A Comparative Study on Disaster Preparedness between Persons with Disabilities and Persons without Disabilities in the Philippines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2025

Shodai Sunagozaka Open the ORCID record for Shodai Sunagozaka [Opens in a new window] ,
Takashi Izutsu ,
Megumi Miyagoshi  and
Atsuro Tsutsumi
Shodai Sunagozaka
Affiliation:
Graduate School of Human and Socio-Environmental Studies, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
Takashi Izutsu
Affiliation:
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo , Tokyo, Japan
Megumi Miyagoshi
Affiliation:
College of Human and Social Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
Atsuro Tsutsumi*
Affiliation:
Institute of Transdisciplinary Sciences for Innovation, Kanazawa University , Kanazawa, Japan University of the Philippines Open University , Los Banos, The Republic of the Philippines
*
Corresponding author: Atsuro Tsutsumi; Email: atsuro@staff.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
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Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to quantitatively clarify the differences in disaster preparedness between persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities and examine differences in disaster preparedness by type of disability and sociodemographic characteristics in the Philippines.

Methods

Overall, 1025 persons with disabilities and 405 persons without disabilities participated in the study. A structured questionnaire was employed. Disaster preparedness and mental health status were assessed using the Disaster Preparedness for Resilience Checklist (DPRC) and Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6), respectively, in addition to sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

There were significant differences in the DPRC total score and all items (p < 0.01) between persons with and those without disabilities. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the DPRC total score and some items (p < 0.01) between persons with mental or psychosocial disabilities and persons with other disabilities. Persons with disabilities and persons with mental or psychosocial disabilities showed worse disaster preparedness. Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis showed that younger age, self-care disabilities, and communication disabilities were significantly associated with lower scores on the DPRC.

Conclusions

Policies and practices to improve disaster preparedness for marginalized populations are needed.

Keywords

disaster preparednessdisaster damagepersons with disabilitiesmental health problems or psychosocial disabilities

Information

Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 19 , 2025 , e172
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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Footnotes

This article has been updated since original publication. A notice detailing the change has also been published

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