Hostname: page-component-5447f9dfdb-lxcff Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-07-31T04:36:28.871Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

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, https://ror.org/057zh3y96 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, https://ror.org/02hwp6a56 Kanazawa University , Kanazawa, Japan https://ror.org/00k27aj44 University of the Philippines Open University , Los Banos, The Republic of the Philippines
*
Corresponding author: Atsuro Tsutsumi; Email: atsuro@staff.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

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

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). The Human Cost of Disasters: An Overview of the Last 20 Years (2000-2019). Published 2020. Accessed 26 May, 2025. https://www.preventionweb.net/files/74124_humancostofdisasters20002019reportu.pdfGoogle Scholar
Eide, AH, Kamaleri, Y. Living conditions among people with disabilities in Mozambique: a national representative study. Published 2009. Accessed 26 May, 2025. https://www.sintef.no/globalassets/upload/helse/levekar-og-tjenester/lc-report-mozambique-2nd-revision.pdfGoogle Scholar
Khalifeh, H, Howard, LM, Osborn, D, et al. Violence against People with Disability in England and Wales: findings from a national cross-sectional survey. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e55952. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055952CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heisei 24 Nenban (Gaiyo) Shogaisha Hakusho (White Paper on Persons with Disabilities 2012 (Summary), in Japanese. Cabinet Office of Japan; 2012.Google Scholar
NIPPON HOSO KYOKAI (NHK). NHK Hukushizhohosaitohatonetto, Higashinihondaishinsaizinodeta (Shogaishanoshiboritsu) (NHK Welfare Information Site Heartnet, Data at the Time of the Great East Japan Earthquake (Mortality Rate of Persons with Disabilities) in Japanese. NHK. Accessed January 26, 2025. https://www.nhk.or.jp/heart-net/topics/19/data_shiboritsu.htmlGoogle Scholar
United Nations (UN). The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Published 2006. https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-articlesGoogle Scholar
United Nations (UN). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015-2030. Published 2015. https://www.undrr.org/media/16176/download?startDownload=20250125Google Scholar
United Nations (UN). Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Published 2015. https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n15/291/89/pdf/n1529189.pdfGoogle Scholar
Hu, Q, Umeda, M. Stress, anxiety, and depression for Chinese residents in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(9). doi:10.3390/ijerph18094958CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hamann, CJ, Mello, E, Wu, H, et al. Disaster preparedness in rural families of children with special health care needs. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2016;10(2):225–232. doi:10.1017/dmp.2015.159CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elisala, N, Turagabeci, A, Mohammadnezhad, M, et al. Exploring persons with disabilities preparedness, perceptions and experiences of disasters in Tuvalu. PLoS One. 2020;15(10):e0241180. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0241180CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Philippine Statistical Yearbook.Google Scholar
Washington Group on Disability Statistics. The Washington Group Short Set on Functioning (WG-SS). Accessed January 25, 2025. https://www.washingtongroup-disability.com/fileadmin/uploads/wg/Washington_Group_Questionnaire__1_-_WG_Short_Set_on_Functioning__October_2022_.pdfGoogle Scholar
IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC) (2006).Google Scholar
Kessler, RC, Andrews, G, Colpe, LJ, et al. Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychol Med. 2002;32(6):959–976. doi:10.1017/s0033291702006074CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sunagozaka, S, Izutsu, T, Tanaka, E, Echavez, NL, Benavidez, PKM, Tsutsumi, A. Validity and Reliability of the Filipino Version of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Cureus. 2025/6/09 2025;17(6):e85657. doi:10.7759/cureus.85657.Google Scholar
Wolf-Fordham, S, Morrow-Gorton, J. Chapter 4 - The impacts of disasters on people with disabilities and chronic physical and mental health conditions. In: Morrow-Gorton, J, Wolf-Fordham, S, Snyder, K, eds. Integrating Mental Health and Disability Into Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response. Butterworth-Heinemann; 2022:73–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Gender Action Plan to Support Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. 2024. https://www.preventionweb.net/media/94610/download?startDownload=20250125Google Scholar
Gould, M, Leblois, A, Bianchi, F, et al. CRPD ICT Accessibility Survey Report 2014. 2014. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Martin-Gould-3/publication/281110384_CRPD_ICT_Accessibility_Survey_Report_2014/links/5d23292aa6fdcc2462cae08d/CRPD-ICT-Accessibility-Survey-Report-2014.pdf?origin=publication_detail&_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uRG93bmxvYWQiLCJwcmV2aW91c1BhZ2UiOiJwdWJsaWNhdGlvbiJ9fQ&__cf_chl_tk=K.Etxb3jfr5Z.SYa4oLEV87N0eDK.EzorryDrv_9LkQ-1737996216-1.0.1.1-3G4BaY1S7d3IdewWnAIKaW.pPPwgProySurS95GqJPoGoogle Scholar
Smith, F, Jolley, E, Schmidt, E. Disability and Disasters: The Importance of an Inclusive Approach to Vulnerability and Social Capital. 2012. https://www.sistemaprotezionecivile.it/allegati/1476_Disability_and_disasters.pdfGoogle Scholar
Munthinlupa City Government. Hydrometeorological and Seismic Early Warning System. 2018.Google Scholar
Munthinlupa City Government. Emergency Public Address Early Warning System. 2018.Google Scholar
Congress of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 10121. 2010. Accessed January 25, 2025. https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/phi136578.pdfGoogle Scholar
Hashimoto, J, Izutsu, T, Sunagozaka, S, et al. A comparison of traumatic experiences and human rights violations of persons with mental health conditions or psychosocial disabilities and persons with other disabilities. PLoS One. 2023;18(11):e0292750. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0292750CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cvetković, VM, Roder, G, Öcal, A, et al. The role of gender in preparedness and response behaviors towards flood risk in Serbia. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(12). doi:10.3390/ijerph15122761CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yu, X, Amin, MB, Olga, P, et al. Gender-based emergency response and crisis management knowledge assessment: a cross-sectional study on Chinese tertiary student. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2024;112:104800. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104800CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wachinger, G, Renn, O, Begg, C, et al. The Risk Perception Paradox—implications for governance and communication of natural hazards. Risk Analysis. 2013;33(6):1049–1065. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.2012.01942.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoffmann, R, Muttarak, R. Learn from the past, prepare for the future: impacts of education and experience on disaster preparedness in the Philippines and Thailand. World Dev. 2017;96:32–51. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.02.016CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDowell, C, Fossey, E. Workplace accommodations for people with mental illness: a scoping review. J Occup Rehabil. 2015;25(1):197–206. doi:10.1007/s10926-014-9512-yCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nielsen, AF. Universal design for people with psychosocial disabilities – the effect of COVID-19. Res Transp Econ. 2023;98:101280. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2023.101280CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wachinger, G, Renn, O, Bianchizza, C, et al. Risk perception of natural hazards. Published 2010. Accessed on 26 May, 2025. https://giam.zrc-sazu.si/sites/default/files/caphaz-net_wp3_risk-perception2.pdfGoogle Scholar