Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T00:06:55.323Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Prior Exposure to Major Flooding Increases Individual Preparedness in High-Risk Populations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

J.E. Coulston  and
P. Deeny
J.E. Coulston*
Affiliation:
Department of Care Sciences, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, Wales, UK
P. Deeny
Affiliation:
Institute of Nursing Research, School of Nursing, University of Ulster, Northland Road, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK
*
Department of Care Sciences, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, Wales, CF37 1DL, E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction:

July 2007 brought unprecedented levels of flooding to the United Kingdom. Health and financial implications were vast and still are emerging. Hydrological disasters will increase in frequency. Therefore, individual preparedness is paramount, as it may mitigate some of the devastating impacts of flooding. Literature on individual preparedness for flooding is scarce, so it is key that current levels of awareness, information gathering, and protective behaviors are investigated. It also is not clear whether being in a high-risk area or having recent exposure to flooding are motivational factors for preparedness.

Objectives:

The objectives of this study were to: (1) ascertain whether prior experience with flooding is a strong motivational factor for preparedness for future flooding episodes; and (2) assess preparedness in populations at high risk for flooding.

Methods:

A prospective questionnaire survey was sent to individuals living in two towns in the United Kingdom, Monmouth and Tewkesbury. Both towns are deemed to be at significant risk for flooding, and Tewkesbury was severely affected by the July 2007 flooding disaster. Data were obtained from these two populations and analyzed.

Results:

A total of 125 responses (of 200) were returned, and demographic data indicated no major differences between the two populations. The number of protective behaviors was higher from participants from Tewksbury (flood risk and exposure; p = 0.004). Participants from Tewkesbury were more likely to be aware of living in a flood-risk area and of the emergency systems present in the area, and feel prepared for future episodes of major flooding (p = 0.03, p = 0.005).

Awareness of living in a flood risk-area increased the likelihood of being knowledgeable about emergency systems and adopting protective behaviors (p = 0.0053, p = 0.043). However, feeling prepared for future episodes of flooding was not associated with a strong increase in knowledge gained to prepare for flooding or having an increased number of protective behaviors.

Conclusions:

Awareness of being at-risk for flooding is vital for self-protective behavior. Both awareness of risk and recent exposure are motivational for flood preparedness. Recent exposure to flooding increases awareness, but it is unknown how long this effect will last. Recent exposure increases the preparedness of individuals for major flooding 18 months after major flooding and, if it continues, will help mitigate the devastating health, financial, and social effects of major flooding.

Keywords

communicationdisasteremergency planningflood preventionflood protectionfloodingindividual preparednesspreparedness
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , August 2010 , pp. 289 - 295
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2010

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.)

References

1.United Kingdom Government: UK Climate Impacts Programme, 2008. Available at http://www.ukcip.org.uk. Accessed 12 May 2008.Google Scholar
2.Burningham, K, Fielding, J, Thrush, D: ‘It'll never happen to me’: Understanding public awareness of local flood risk. Disaster 2008;32(3):216–238.Google Scholar
3.UK Government: Foresight project in flood and coastal defence. Available at http://www.foresight.gov.uk/OurWork/CompletedProjects/Flood/Unknow n/Projectsummary.asp. Accessed 01 February 2009.Google Scholar
4.Pitt, M: Independent government review into the summer 2007 floods. Accessed at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/1867303/1883039/1867421/1916977/193216. Accessed 12 May 2008.Google Scholar
5.Ohl, C, Tapsell, S: Flooding and human health. BMJ 2000;321:1167–1168.Google Scholar
6.Reacher, M, McKensie, K, Lane, C, et al: Health impacts of flooding in Lewes: A comparison of reported gastrointestinal and other illness and mental health in flooded and non flooded households. Comm Dis Public Health 2004;7(1):1–8.Google Scholar
7.Tapsell, S, Tunstall, S: “I wish I'd never heard of Banbury”: The relationship between place and health impacts from flooding. Health Place 2007;14:133–154.Google Scholar
8.Kron, W, Thumerer, T: Water-Related Disasters: Loss Trends and Possible Countermeasures from a (Re-) Insurer's Viewpoint. Workshop Paper for Geo-risks Research Department. Available at http://www.mitch-ec.net/Workshop3/Papers/paper_thumerer.pdf. Accessed 10 August 2008.Google Scholar
9.(UK) Environment Agency: Preparing for a flood: Practical advice on what to do to protect you and your property. UK Government, November 2007.Google Scholar
10.Haque, C: Risk assessment, emergency preparedness and response to hazards: The case of the 1997 Red River Valley Flood, Canada. Earth Environ Sci 2000;21(2-3):225–245.Google Scholar
11.Bissell, R, Pinet, L, Nelson, M, Levy, M: Evidence of the effectiveness of health sector preparedness in disaster response: The example of four earthquakes. Fam Community Health 2004;27(3):193–203.Google Scholar
12.Weackerle, J: Domestic preparedness for events involving weapons of mass destruction. JAMA 2005;283(2):252–254.Google Scholar
13.Grothmann, T, Reusswig, F: People at risk of flooding: Why some residents take precautionary action while others do not. Natural Hazards 2006;38:101–120.Google Scholar
14.Takao, K, Motoyoshi, T, Sato, T, Fukuzono, T: Factors determining residents' preparedness for floods in modern megalopolises: The case of Tokai flood disaster in Japan. J Risk Res 2004;7(7-8):775–787.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Fielding, J, Gray, K, Burningham, K, Thrush, D: Flood Warning for Vulnerable Groups: Secondary Analysis of Flood Data. Report for the Environment Agency, 2005. SC990007/SR2.Google Scholar
16.Thieken, A, Kreibich, H, Muller, M, Merz, B: Coping with floods: Preparedness, response and recovery of flood-affected residents in Germany in 2002. Hydrological Sciences 2007;52(5):1016–1037.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Sattler, D, Kaiser, C, Hittner, J: Disaster preparedness: Relationships among prior experience, personal characteristics, and distress. J Appl Soc Psychol 2000;30(7):1396–1420.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.(UK) Environment Agency. Flood Warnings, in Preparing for a Flood (2006). Available at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/826674/?version=1&lang=_e. Accessed 12 July 2008.Google Scholar
19.Rowe, G, Wright, G: Differences in expert and lay judgement of risk: Myth or reality. Risk Analysis 2001;21(3):341–356.Google Scholar
20.Siegrist, M, Gutscher, H: Flooding risks: A comparison of lay people's perception and experts assessments in Switzerland. Risk Analysis 2006;26(4):971–979.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Zaleskiewicz, T, Piskorz, Z, Borkowska, A: Fear or money? Decisions on insuring oneself against flood. Risk Decision and Policy 2002;7:221–233.Google Scholar
22.Oliver, J: The significance of natural hazards in a development area: A case study from North Queensland. Geography 1975;60(2):99–110.Google Scholar
23.Blaikie, P, Cannon, T, Davis, I, Wisner, B: At Risk: Natural Hazards. People's Vulnerability and Disasters. London and New York: Routledge 1994, pp 78–90.Google Scholar
24.Kaiser, C, Hittner, J: Disaster preparedness: Relationships among prior experience, personal characteristics and distress. J Appl Soc Psychol 2000;30(7):1396–1420.Google Scholar