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Rural Community Disaster Preparedness and Risk Perception in Trujillo, Peru

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 April 2017

Matthew Stewart ,
Bridget Grahmann ,
Ariel Fillmore  and
L. Scott Benson
Matthew Stewart*
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Utah Hospital, Salt Lake City, UtahUSA
Bridget Grahmann
Affiliation:
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine: Masters of Public Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahUSA
Ariel Fillmore
Affiliation:
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine: Masters of Public Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahUSA
L. Scott Benson
Affiliation:
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine: Masters of Public Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahUSA
*
Correspondence: Matthew Stewart, MD, MPH 3018 N. Joy Ln. Flagstaff, AZ, 86001 USA E-mail: mstew1@gmail.com
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Abstract

Introduction

Disasters will continue to occur throughout the world and it is the responsibility of the government, health care systems, and communities to adequately prepare for potential catastrophic scenarios. Unfortunately, low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) are especially vulnerable following a disaster. By understanding disaster preparedness and risk perception, interventions can be developed to improve community preparedness and avoid unnecessary mortality and morbidity following a natural disaster.

Problem

The purpose of this study was to assess disaster preparedness and risk perception in communities surrounding Trujillo, Peru.

Methods

After designing a novel disaster preparedness and risk perception survey based on guidelines from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC; Geneva, Switzerland), investigators performed a cross-sectional survey of potentially vulnerable communities surrounding Trujillo, Peru. Data were entered and analyzed utilizing the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap; Harvard Catalyst; Boston, Massachusetts USA) database.

Results

A total of 230 study participants were surveyed, composed of 37% males, 63% females, with ages ranging from 18-85 years old. Those surveyed who had previously experienced a disaster (41%) had a higher perception of future disaster occurrence and potential disaster impact on their community. Overall, the study participants consistently perceived that earthquakes and infection had the highest potential impact of all disasters. Twenty-six percent of participants had an emergency supply of food, 24% had an emergency water plan, 24% had a first aid kit at home, and only 20% of the study participants had an established family evacuation plan.

Conclusion

Natural and man-made disasters will remain a threat to the safety and health of communities in all parts of the world, especially within vulnerable communities in LMICs; however, little research has been done to identify disaster perception, vulnerability, and preparedness in LMIC communities. The current study established that selected communities near Trujillo, Peru recognize a high disaster impact from earthquakes and infection, but are not adequately prepared for potential future disasters. By identifying high-risk demographics, targeted public health interventions are needed to prepare vulnerable communities in the following areas: emergency food supplies, emergency water plan, medical supplies at home, and establishing evacuation plans.

StewartM, GrahmannB, FillmoreA, BensonLS. Rural Community Disaster Preparedness and Risk Perception in Trujillo, Peru. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):387–392.

Keywords

developing countriesdisaster medicinedisaster planningPeru
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , August 2017 , pp. 387 - 392
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2017 

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: none

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