Citation

McGeehan KM, Baker CK. Disasters 2016; 41(2): 258-281.

Affiliation

Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/disa.12200

PMID

27237944

Abstract

The role of religious factors in the disaster experience has been under-investigated. This is despite evidence of their influence throughout the disaster cycle, including: the way in which the event is interpreted; how the community recovers; and the strategies implemented to reduce future risk. This qualitative study examined the role of faith in the disaster experience of four faith communities in the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. Twenty-six individuals from the Bahá'í, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), and United Methodist Church communities participated, including 10 faith leaders and 16 laypersons. The results suggest that religious narratives provide a framework for interpretation of, preparedness for, and responses to disasters. Preparedness varied widely across faith communities, with the LDS community reporting greater levels of preparedness than other communities. Recommendations include the development of collaborative efforts between disaster managers and faith leaders to increase preparedness within faith communities, which may facilitate community-wide disaster risk reduction.

© 2016 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2016.

Language: en