@article{ref1,
title="Effectiveness of a primary health care program on urban and rural community disaster preparedness, Islamic Republic of Iran: A community intervention trial",
journal="Disaster medicine and public health preparedness",
year="2013",
author="Ardalan, Ali and Mowafi, Hani and Malekafzali Ardakani, Hossein and Abolhasanai, Farid and Zanganeh, Ali-Mohammad and Safizadeh, Hossein and Salari, Sirous and Zonoobi, Vahid",
volume="7",
number="5",
pages="481-490",
abstract="BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effectiveness of a capacity-building intervention administered through a primary health care (PHC) system on community disaster preparedness in Iran.   METHODS: A controlled community intervention trial with pre- and postassessments was conducted in 2011 in 3 provinces of Iran. In each province, 2 areas were chosen and randomly selected as an intervention or control group. A total of 9200 households were in the intervention area and 10 010 were in the control area. In each study group in each province 250 households were sampled for pre- and postassessment surveys. Community health volunteers led by PHC staff administered an educational intervention covering elements of hazard awareness and preparedness, with a focus on earthquakes and floods. Relative changes for awareness and readiness scores were assessed to demonstrate changes in outcome variables from pre- to postassessments in intervention and control groups. An effectiveness test of significance was based on interaction between time and area.   RESULTS: Households in intervention communities exhibited improved disaster awareness and readiness with respect to all outcome measures. Relative changes in awareness in intervention and control areas were 2.94 and -0.08, respectively (P < .001). Relative changes for readiness scores were 5.52 in intervention areas and 0.56 in control areas (P < .001). Relative changes for awareness and readiness were significantly correlated with a community's baseline risk perception and previous experience with natural disasters (P < .001).   CONCLUSIONS: An educational intervention administered through the PHC system effectively improved disaster awareness and readiness at a community level. For sustainability, community disaster reduction programs must be integrated into routine public health service delivery. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:481-490).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1935-7893",
doi="10.1017/dmp.2013.93",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2013.93"
}