Risk perceptions of extreme weather events have been explored extensively through the lens of emergency preparation, but the influence of pre-storm risk perceptions on resilience and recovery trajectories are understudied. The objective of this qualitative analysis is to explore 1) the factors which shape residents' perception of risk prior to an event, and 2) how these factors contribute to 'sensemaking,' after the storm to influence experiences of recovery.

Disasters can exacerbate socioeconomic health disparities because of differential exposure (e.g., socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are more likely to be exposed to disaster-related trauma) and differential vulnerability (disadvantaged groups are more likely to suffer health consequences of exposure to trauma). We sought to test whether health disparities among older adults widened in the area which was directly affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami compared to areas which largely escaped tsunami damage. We used data from a cohort of community-dwelling older adults who were directly affected by the 2011 disaster (the Iwanuma Study) and municipalities that were not directly affected (the JAGES parent cohort excluding Iwanuma city). The Iwanuma Study gathered pre-disaster information from participants in 2010 (seven months before the disaster) as well as post-disaster information in 2013, 2016 and 2019 (2.5, 5.5 and 8.5 years after the disaster). Our outcomes were depressive symptoms (GDS) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). We examined the pre- versus post-disaster trends in socioeconomic health disparities using the slope index and relative index of inequality. We then conducted a difference-in-difference analysis comparing the pre/post disaster change in health disparities in the "exposed" city (Iwanuma) compared to "control" cities. We found clear pre-disaster socioeconomic inequalities in both GDS and IADL in both the exposed and control cities. However, the magnitude of these inequalities did not change after the disaster on either the absolute or relative scales. The 2011 disaster in northeastern Japan did not exacerbate pre-existing patterns of health inequalities in the older population.

Research documenting the public health impacts of natural disasters often focuses on adults and children. Little research has examined the influence of extreme events, like floods, on maternal health, and less has examined the effect of disasters on maternal indicators like severe maternal morbidity (SMM) or unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery that result in significant short-or long-term consequences to a woman's health. The aim of this study is to identify the impacts of the 2015 flood events on maternal health outcomes in South Carolina, USA. We employ a quasi-experimental design using a difference-in-difference analysis with log-binomial regressions to evaluate maternal outcomes for impacted and control locations during the disaster event. Unlike previous studies, we extended our difference-in-difference analysis to include a trimester of exposure to assess the timing of flood exposure. We did not find evidence of statistically significant main effects on maternal health from the 2015 flood events related to preterm birth, gestational diabetes, mental disorders of pregnancy, depression, and generalized anxiety. However, we did find a statistically significant increase in SMM and low birth weight during the flood event for women in select trimester periods who were directly exposed. Our work provides new evidence on the effects of extreme flood events, like the 2015 floods, which can impact maternal health during specific exposure periods of pregnancy. Additional research is needed across other extreme weather events, as the unique context of the 2015 floods limits the generalizability of our findings.

Extreme weather events endanger critical health infrastructure, and many individuals rely on infrastructure to meet their basic needs, such as heat, water, and medical devices. The purpose of this study is to identify spatially explicit at-risk populations for power outages due to these extreme weather events. To accomplish this, we used the HHS emPOWER Emergency Planning Dataset, which was created to help public health authorities plan for and address the needs of communities. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we overlay emPOWER data with the frequency of extreme weather events, including wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and ice storms. Through our analysis, we identified vulnerable areas for high rates of disasters and electricity-dependent durable medical equipment (DME) to be located in communities along the coast. We also found a higher concentration of DME in rural areas compared to urban areas. In addition, we found least privileged economic locations are disproportionately vulnerable to power outages in the southeastern United States due to their high concentration of DME individuals. These results will inform public health officials where to target interventions to ensure continuity of care for vulnerable populations during power outages at the community level.

Risk communication enables people to be prepared, respond and recover from public health risks which can only be realized with a considerable amount of community engagement. Enabling community involvement is necessary in order to reach and protect vulnerable people during epidemics. In situations of acute emergency, it is difficult to reach everyone, which makes it necessary to work with intermediaries such as social and care facilities and civil society organizations (CSOs) who work to support the most vulnerable in our societies. This paper analyses the perceptions of experts working in social facilities or CSOs of Covid-19 RCCE efforts in Austria. It starts from a broad understanding of vulnerability which combines medical, social and economic determinants. We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with CSO and social facility managers. The UNICEF core community engagement standards (2020) were used as a framework for qualitative content analysis. The results show that CSO's and social facilities were essential for allowing community involvement of vulnerable people in Austria during the pandemic. For the CSO's and social facilities participation of their vulnerable clients was a real challenge especially because direct contact was difficult and public services were switched to digital only. Nonetheless, they all put a lot of effort into adapting and discussing Covid-19 regulations and measures with their clients and employees which in many cases led to acceptance of public health measures. The study gives recommendations on how community engagement could be enhanced especially from government actors and how CSO's could be addressed more as essential partners.

We performed a quantitative and a qualitative study, addressing the experiences of health services of 16 European Union institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Among the 165 eligible subjects, 114 (69%) participated in the survey. The biggest problem reported was limitation of social contacts (53%). At work, the biggest problems were workload (50%) and shortage of staff (37%). The majority were positive about teamwork. Teleworking was seen positively by 81%. Most participants felt better prepared for future situations by their recent experience (94%). Participants underlined the importance of strengthening the collaboration with the local health systems (80%), as well as with medical services and internal services within their own institution (75%). The qualitative analysis also reported participants' fear of becoming infected, and of their family members getting sick. Similarly reported were the sense of isolation and anxiety, the excessive workload and work complexity, shortage of staff, and the benefits of teleworking. Study findings highlight: i) the need to strengthen mental health support to health personnel, not only during crisis situations; ii) the need for sufficient health workers, with swift recruitment strategies in times of crisis; iii) the importance of clear protocols to ensure no shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE); iv) the importance of teleworking, which represents an opportunity for major reorganisation of work within EU medical services; v) the need to strengthen collaboration with local health systems and the medical services of EU institutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a serious global health emergency in 2020 and 2021. This study analyzed the seasonal association of weekly averages of meteorological parameters, such as wind speed, solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity, and air pollutant PM2.5, with confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths in Baghdad, Iraq, a major megacity of the Middle East, for the period June 2020 to August 2021. Spearman and Kendall correlation coefficients were used to investigate the association. The results showed that wind speed, air temperature, and solar radiation have positive and strong correlations with the confirmed cases and deaths in the cold season (autumn and winter 2020-2021). The total COVID-19 cases negatively correlated with relative humidity but were not significant in all seasons. Besides, PM2.5 strongly correlated with COVID-19 confirmed cases for the summer of 2020. The death distribution by age group showed the highest deaths for those aged 60-69. The highest number of deaths was 41% in the summer of 2020. The study provided useful information about the COVID-19 health emergency and meteorological parameters, which can be used for future health disaster planning, adopting prevention strategies and providing healthcare procedures to protect against future infraction transmission.

National resilience is a consensus benchmark to characterize the ability of disaster resistance of a country. The occurrence of various disasters and the ravages of COVID-19 have created urgent needs in assessing and improving the national resilience of countries, especially for countries along the Belt and Road (i.e., B&R countries) with multiple disasters with high frequency and great losses. To accurately depict the national resilience profile, a three-dimensional assessment model based on multi-source data is proposed, where the diversity of losses, fusion utilization of disaster and macro-indicator data, and several refined elements are involved. Using the proposed assessment model, the national resilience of 64 B&R countries is clarified based on more than 13,000 records involving 17 types of disasters and 5 macro-indicators. However, their assessment results are not optimistic, the dimensional resilience are generally trend-synchronized and individual difference in a single dimension, and approximately one-half of countries do not obtain resilience growth over time. To further explore the applicable solutions for national resilience improvement, a coefficient-adjusted stepwise regression model with 20 macro-indicator regressors is developed based on more than 19,000 records. This study provides the quantified model support and a solution reference for national resilience assessment and improvement, which contributes to addressing the global national resilience deficit and promoting the high-quality development of B&R construction.

This article analyses the suite of policies and measures enacted by the Indian Union Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through apparatuses of disaster management. We focus on the period from the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, until mid-2021. This holistic review adopts a Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Assemblage conceptual approach to make sense of how the COVID-19 disaster was made possible and importantly how it was responded to, managed, exacerbated, and experienced as it continued to emerge. This approach is grounded in literature from critical disaster studies and geography. The analysis also draws on a wide range of other disciplines, ranging from epidemiology to anthropology and political science, as well as grey literature, newspaper reports, and official policy documents. The article is structured into three sections that investigate in turn and at different junctures the role of governmentality and disaster politics; scientific knowledge and expert advice, and socially and spatially differentiated disaster vulnerabilities in shaping the COVID-19 disaster in India. We put forward two main arguments on the basis of the literature reviewed. One is that both the impacts of the virus spread and the lockdown-responses to it affected already marginalised groups disproportionately. The other is that managing the COVID-19 pandemic through disaster management assemblage/apparatuses served to extend centralised executive authority in India. These two processes are demonstrated to be continuations of pre-pandemic trends. We conclude that evidence of a in India's approach to disaster management remains thin on the ground.

The world has experienced an unprecedented global health crisis since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, which inflicted massive burdens on countries' healthcare systems. During the peaks of the pandemic, the shortages of intensive care unit (ICU) beds illustrated a critical vulnerability in the fight. Many individuals suffering the effects of COVID-19 had difficulty accessing ICU beds due to insufficient capacity. Unfortunately, it has been observed that many hospitals do not have enough ICU beds, and the ones with ICU capacity might not be accessible to all population strata. To remedy this going forward, field hospitals could be established to provide additional capacity in helping emergency health situations such as pandemics; however, location selection is a crucial decision ultimately for this purpose. As such, we consider finding new field hospital locations to serve the demand within certain travel-time thresholds, while accounting for the presence of vulnerable populations. A multi-objective mathematical model is proposed in this paper that maximizes the minimum accessibility and minimizes the travel time by integrating the Enhanced 2-Step Floating Catchment Area (E2SFCA) method and travel-time-constrained capacitated median model. This is performed to decide on the locations of field hospitals, while a sensitivity analysis addresses hospital capacity, demand level, and the number of field hospital locations. Four counties in Florida are selected to implement the proposed approach. Findings can be used to identify the ideal location(s) of capacity expansions concerning the fair distribution of field hospitals in terms of accessibility with a specific focus on vulnerable strata of the population.

COVID-19 has become a global pandemic, which necessitates that health workers be capable of protecting themselves and their patients. This article aimed to describe knowledge levels, attitudes, behaviors and training needs regarding COVID-19 among obstetric and gynecological nurses in medium-risk areas during the pandemic.

This article aims to examine the socioeconomic outcomes of COVID-19 for socially marginalised people who are clients of social care organisations (e.g. people experiencing homelessness), and the factors influencing these outcomes. We tested the role of individual and socio-structural variables in determining socioeconomic outcomes based on a cross-sectional survey with 273 participants from eight European countries and 32 interviews and five workshops with managers and staff of social care organisations in ten European countries. 39% of the respondents agreed that the pandemic has had a negative effect on their income and access to shelter and food. The most common negative socio-economic outcome of the pandemic was loss of work (65% of respondents). According to multivariate regression analysis, variables such as being of a young age, being an immigrant/asylum seeker or residing in the country without documentation, living in your own home, and having (in)formal paid work as the main source of income are related to negative socio-economic outcomes following the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors such as individual psychological resilience and receiving social benefits as the main source of income tend to "protect" respondents from negative impacts. Qualitative results indicate that care organisations have been an important source of economic and psycho-social support, particularly significant in times of a huge surge in demand for services during the long-term crises of pandemic.

The extent of risk brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of the elderly has emphasized the need to investigate their experiences during these challenging times. This study was conducted to explore the elderly's lived experiences as COVID-19 patients and to understand how they make sense of and cope with what happened to them when infected with COVID-19. Using Husserl's descriptive phenomenology, 13 elderly from Naval, Biliran Province, Philippines were chosen as participants using purposive sampling. The total number of participants was determined through theoretical saturation. In-depth interviews and the writing of field notes were done to collect information on the participants' experiences. The transcripts were analyzed following Colaizzi's steps in descriptive phenomenological method of analysis. Four general themes emerged for the elderly's lived experiences during the pandemic. These included discrimination, social isolation, anxiety and stress, and fear. Findings revealed that despite the challenges the elderly encountered during the pandemic and when they tested positive for COVID-19, they had seen it as an opportunity to improve and change their practices. The strategies that the elderly employed to cope with the pandemic were all adaptive and have resulted in positive outcomes. Results of the study emphasize the need for more programs and policies to enhance the care and support provided to the elderly during a health crisis.

There is little knowledge about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people who are socially marginalised, including individuals who face barriers when attempting to access services such as social safety nets, the labour market, or housing. There is even less understanding about women living under these circumstances. The aims of this study are therefore to examine the material and mental impacts of COVID-19 among socially marginalised women (compared with socially marginalised men) as well as influencing factors. The study is based on survey data (N = 304) involving people who are clients of social care organisations in thirteen European countries. The sample includes clients: a) living in their homes, b) in facilities, and c) on the street and in temporary accommodations. Results indicate that although material impacts were not significantly different for female and male respondents, socially marginalised women have experienced more severe mental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic than socially marginalised men. Female respondents have been significantly more worried about COVID-19 infection than men, and they report significantly more PTSD-symptoms related to the pandemic. Quantitative results indicate that these differences are related to the fact that the female respondents worry more about health risks (e.g. falling ill). Female respondents also seem to be harder hit mentally by the material impacts of COVID-19. Among the free text survey answers regarding the biggest problem for the respondents after the outbreak of the pandemic, the most prevalent reply (among both men and women) was related to material impacts of the pandemic (39% of the respondents), particularly the loss of work (65%). While women reported deterioration of social relations more often, men mentioned lacking access to services more frequently.

The Covid-19 health disaster has created a labour crisis. We examine the impact of the Covid-19 induced state-level direct (such as providing free food, minimum income, and transportation services for the labourers) and indirect (such as skill mapping of the return migrants and allowing extended hour shifts in the factories) risk-reducing labour strategies on urban and rural employment rates in India. These risk-reducing labour strategies secure livelihood and discourage labourers from risking their lives by joining the workplace of high interpersonal human contact during the pandemic. This reduces employment rates. Specifically, direct risk-reducing labour strategies reduce employment in urban and rural areas, while indirect risk-reducing labour strategies lessen employment only in urban areas. The mitigating effect justifies the importance of the Keynesian interventionist resilience techniques that safeguard the labourers and reduce the risks during the disaster.

Global trends showed that men were somehow, more inclined to the infection and death by Covid-19 than women, which showed no exception in Bangladesh. This paper aims to focus on major socio-economic impacts (economic, education, health, gender power relation) and Covid-19-induced response measures in urban context, through gender lens. Qualitative and quantitative methods were blended for the study. A significant relationship was identified between respondent's gender and maintaining social distancing (χ (1, N = 110) = 12.2037,  = 0.000477), also in case of going in crowded places during the first wave of Covid-19 (χ (4, N = 110) = 18.8001,  = 0.00086), using chi-square test. Concerned with socio-economic impacts, the gender of respondents was found to have a moderate impact on domestic abuse (χ (1, N = 110) = 1.8442,  = 0.174454). As for other impacts, null hypotheses failed to be rejected. Regarding response and awareness level, researcher found that 71.6% of women were more skilled in isolation management, and food stocking, in contrast with 64% of men. Entrenched social prejudices and unequal gender-specific treatments toward women, could stimulate the gender-sensitive disproportion in preparedness, impact, and response phase since the Covid-19 emergence.

Individual and community characteristics predictive of knowledge, perception, and attitude on COVID-19, specifically on gender, have not been adequately explored.

Improving rural households' subjective well-being is an important element of economic and social revitalization in the post-epidemic period. Based on the survey data obtained from rural households in Hubei Province, the center of the outbreak in China, and its surrounding areas, this paper explores the impact mechanisms of the COVID-19 epidemic on subjective well-being from both economic and sociological perspectives with the help of structural equation modeling. The results show that COVID-19 significantly influenced rural households' subjective well-being in China. Furthermore, COVID-19 indirectly affected their subjective well-being by influencing optimism. The negative impact is moderated by government intervention and income resilience. Therefore, strengthening the emergency management capacity of local governments and encouraging the diversification of rural households' income sources are important strategies to effectively resolve epidemic shocks and improve the level of well-being.

The need for effective early detection and timely surveillance for a robust pandemic and epidemic early warning and preparedness has been widely discussed amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, which suddenly erupted worldwide. This need is further established by various other hazards reported in many countries amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the failure of early detection of pathogens and their source of origin has been largely connected with global transmission and severe outbreaks in many contexts. Therefore, effective early detection , timely surveillance and early warning are key aspects of a successful response to an epidemic or pandemic. . Hence, this paper aims to identify key elements and stages of an effective epidemic and pandemic early warning (EW) and response system. Further, the paper analyses inter-connections of the elements of the early warning system, focusing on the COVID-19 and multi-hazard context. The systematic literature review method was used to collect data from electronic databases. Results suggest that epidemiological surveillance & detection, primary screening of raw data & information, risk and vulnerability assessments, prediction and decision-making, alerts & early warnings are critical components of epidemic and pandemic EW. In addition, response-control & mitigation, preparedness-preventive strategies, and reducing transmission , elimination and eradication of the disease are integrated components of the early warning and response ecosystem that largely depend on effective early warnings. The significance of integrating epidemic and pandemic EW with other EWs to operate as multi-hazard early warning systems is also analysed.

The present study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on quantitative conclusion and appraisal of findings from Protection Motivation Theory to predict protective behaviors against COVID-19. This meta-analysis covered the period between 2019 and 2022. Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Emerald, PubMed, Springer, Sage, Online Wiley Library, Taylor & Francis and ProQuest were searched to find related articles to the study topic. Using Effect Size of Random model, the quality of each study, homogeneous of studies and Publication bias of data were analyzed and assessed by CMA2 software. The results indicate that perceived severity (), perceived vulnerability (), response efficacy () and self-efficacy () are positively associated with COVID-19 disease. In addition, the results show that Response cost () is a negative and weak predictor of motivation to protect against COVID-19. The results of this study regarding Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)- as a very strong and flexible theory during outbreak of COVID-19- may suggest that despite positive protection, the mean of Effect Size of total PMT elements is less than average size. Meta-analysis of studies shows that coping appraisal variables provide the strongest predictors of behavior and intention. Furthermore, self-efficacy was identified as the most important determinant in protective behaviors against COVID-19.

We examined media exposure, psychological fear and worry, perceptions of risk, and health protective behaviors surrounding the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in a probability-based, representative, national sample of Americans (N = 3447). Structural equation models examined relationships between amount (hours/day) and content (e.g., graphic images of dead bodies) of media exposure and counts of self-reported health protective behaviors that participants performed or would perform if Ebola spread to their community. Ebola-related risk perceptions and fear and worry were potential mediators. Greater total hours and more graphic media exposure positively correlated with more fear and worry; greater total hours of media exposure also positively correlated with higher perceived risk. Higher risk perceptions were associated with more health protective behaviors performed and intended. Greater fear and worry were associated with more behaviors performed. Amount and content of media exposure exhibited indirect effects on behaviors performed; amount of media exposure had indirect effects on intentions. Media may help promote health protective behaviors during public health threats; the amount and content should be congruent with threat to minimize distress and maximize resources.