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General Household Emergency Preparedness: A Comparison Between Veterans and Nonveterans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2014

Claudia Der-Martirosian ,
Tara Strine ,
Mangwi Atia ,
Karen Chu ,
Michael N. Mitchell  and
Aram Dobalian
Claudia Der-Martirosian*
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California USA
Tara Strine
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Atlanta, Georgia USA
Mangwi Atia
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California USA
Karen Chu
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California USA
Michael N. Mitchell
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California USA
Aram Dobalian
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, North Hills, California USA Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California USA School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California USA
*
Correspondence: Claudia Der-Martirosian, PhD Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center 16111 Plummer St. MS-152 North Hills, California 91343 USA E-mail Claudia.Der-Martirosian@va.gov
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Abstract

Background

Despite federal and local efforts to educate the public to prepare for major emergencies, many US households remain unprepared for such occurrences. United States Armed Forces veterans are at particular risk during public health emergencies as they are more likely than the general population to have multiple health conditions.

Methods

This study compares general levels of household emergency preparedness between veterans and nonveterans by focusing on seven surrogate measures of household emergency preparedness (a 3-day supply of food, water, and prescription medications, a battery-operated radio and flashlight, a written evacuation plan, and an expressed willingness to leave the community during a mandatory evacuation). This study used data from the 2006 through 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a state representative, random sample of adults aged 18 and older living in 14 states.

Results

The majority of veteran and nonveteran households had a 3-day supply of food (88% vs 82%, respectively) and prescription medications (95% vs 89%, respectively), access to a working, battery-operated radio (82% vs 77%, respectively) and flashlight (97% vs 95%, respectively), and were willing to leave the community during a mandatory evacuation (91% vs 96%, respectively). These populations were far less likely to have a 3-day supply of water (61% vs 52%, respectively) and a written evacuation plan (24% vs 21%, respectively). After adjusting for various sociodemographic covariates, general health status, and disability status, households with veterans were significantly more likely than households without veterans to have 3-day supplies of food, water, and prescription medications, and a written evacuation plan; less likely to indicate that they would leave their community during a mandatory evacuation; and equally likely to have a working, battery-operated radio and flashlight.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that veteran households appear to be better prepared for emergencies than do nonveteran households, although the lower expressed likelihood of veterans households to evacuate when ordered to do so may place them at a somewhat greater risk of harm during such events. Further research should examine household preparedness among other vulnerable groups including subgroups of veteran populations and the reasons why their preparedness may differ from the general population.

Der-MartirosianC, StrineT, AtiaM, ChuK, MitchellMN, DobalianA. General Household Emergency Preparedness: A Comparison Between Veterans and Nonveterans. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(2):1-7.

Keywords

Emergency preparednessgeneral household preparednessveteran
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 134 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2014 

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