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Tehran Residents' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Earthquake Preparedness

Authors:
[ Katayoon Jahangiri ] - Corresponding author
[ Sayyed Ali Azin ] - Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research
[ Kazem Mohammad ] - school of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
[ Abbas Rahimi ] - school of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Abstract:

The United Nations has placed Iran within the category of the world's 10 most disaster-prone countries. Earthquakes are foremost among the different types of natural disaster affecting Iran, as more than 70% percent of all Iranian cities (including the capital Tehran) have been built over faults in the Earth's crust. Research has shown that preparedness in dealing with the disaster can minimize the loss of life and property. The concept of preparedness applies before, during and after the occurrence of any type of natural disaster, and one of the most basic elements of any disaster preparedness program is public education. Assessing the public's knowledge, attitude and practice is a crucial first step in designing successful education initiatives. Such an assessment can provide the scientific community and the policy makers with an understanding of the current situation and the needs and demands for education. The present study was performed on the residents of Tehran with the aim of measuring their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding earthquake preparedness. The first phase of the research involved a search of the existing literature and the Internet. The second phase consisted of a qualitative study designed to yield the basic information needed for constructing a questionnaire for the next stages of the research. In the 3rd phase, the questionnaire was used to assess earthquake preparedness knowledge, attitude and practice among the residents of Tehran. In the fourth and final phase of the study the information generated in the previous phases served to draw up recommendations for use in educational interventions. The study sample consisted of 1211 Tehran residents aged 15 and above, who were questioned within a period of 4 weeks. We used a cluster sampling method in which the clusters were drawn systematically from the dwelling places of primiparous women, a group known to be randomly distributed throughout the Tehran region. Data for the survey were gathered through a specifically designed questionnaire, filled in door-step interviews performed by trained interviewers. The questionnaire dealt with demographic as well as knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) data and its original design was based on the information from the 2nd phase of the study. We also performed a pilot study with convenient sampling to enhance the questionnaire's validity. Results showed that 31.4% of Tehran residents had poor knowledge of disaster preparedness. For 31.4% the knowledge was at a "moderate" level, and the remaining 37.2% had a level of knowledge judged to be "acceptable". The relative frequencies of people with poor, moderate and acceptable attitude were 25.6%, 32.5% and 41.9%, respectively. As regards practice, the percentage of subjects judged to be at a poor level was 25.7%, while 29% fell in the "moderate" category and 45.3% were classified as having an acceptable practice in terms of disaster preparedness. Statistical analysis of the KAP scores permitted to define the following groups as being at "high risk" for adverse consequences in the event of an earthquake: women, housewives, residents of eastern districts, senior citizens, pensioners, and those living alone, poorly educated people, and people living in rented accommodation or in crowded families. In the end, we used analyses of the subjects' responses to set up a series of recommendations in the field of public education.

Keywords:

KAP study, disaster, earthquake, preparedness, Iran