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. 2017 Aug:23:62-69.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2017.04.008. Epub 2017 Apr 21.

Urban disaster preparedness of Hong Kong residents: A territory-wide survey

Rex Pui Kin Lam  1 , Ling Pong Leung  1 , Satchit Balsari  2   3 , Kai-Hsun Hsiao  2 , Elizabeth Newnham  2   4 , Kaylie Patrick  2 , Phuong Pham  2 , Jennifer Leaning  2
Affiliations

Urban disaster preparedness of Hong Kong residents: A territory-wide survey

Rex Pui Kin Lam et al. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2017 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the state of community disaster preparedness of Hong Kong residents and to identify factors associated with adequate preparedness behaviors.

Design: A cross-sectional survey using random Global Positioning System (GPS) spatial sampling conducted from the 8 August 2015 to 6 September 2015.

Participants: Hong Kong residents aged 18 years or more.

Method: A 19-item questionnaire was developed to assess respondents' preparedness information acquisition, communication plan, evacuation strategies, first-aid and disaster knowledge, financial resilience, and preparedness behaviors. In total, 1023 residents were interviewed at 516 GPS locations. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with preparedness behaviors, defined as having an evacuation kit in our study.

Results: Television remains the key information source, both before and during disaster, with young respondents also favoring social media and the internet and elder residents preferring television and radio. Many respondents did not have adequate first-aid knowledge and few showed correct responses to a typhoon warning signal. Only 39.4% had an evacuation kit. In logistic regression, correct responses to first aid questions and a typhoon warning signal were significantly associated with kit preparation (OR 2.023, 95% CI 1.233-3.318, p=0.005). Residents with elderly household member(s) were significantly less likely to do so (OR 0.554, 95% CI 0.333-0.922, p=0.023).

Conclusions: Community resilience-building programs should tailor information provision to different age groups with a focus on the family caregivers of elderly residents. There is a need to promulgate first-aid training and disaster education in the community.

Keywords: Community; Cross-sectional studies; Disasters; Emergency preparedness; GPS spatial sampling.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1
Map of GPS coordinates visited for the community survey.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2
Information source of different age groups of the respondents if a disaster happens.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3
Respondents’ rating of the level of disaster preparedness of Hong Kong.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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