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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate individuals' disaster literacy levels, their thoughts on disaster management services, and related factors. METHOD: The descriptive research was conducted with a total of 480 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 living in a province in the first-degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The data were collected with the Disaster Literacy Scale and the Disaster Management Services Evaluation Form. RESULTS: In this study, it was found that more than half of the participants had inadequate/moderate disaster literacy. The total disaster literacy score and all subscale scores were found to be higher in individuals who had an earthquake kit at home, had an emergency plan, and had received disaster-related training (p < .05). The majority of the participants found the services provided for disaster management inadequate or very inadequate. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it has been found that a significant portion of the society lacks the desired level of disaster literacy, and the services provided for disasters are deemed insufficient therefore, there is a need for multi-disciplinary national prevention programs to enhance disaster literacy and preparedness in the community, as well as urgently supporting policies to improve disaster-related services. Additionally, due to their comprehensive knowledge of the general structure of society, public health nurses need to play an active role in disaster preparedness and increasing disaster literacy levels.

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BACKGROUND: As the largest group of healthcare professionals, nurses play an indispensable and crucial role in disaster response. The enhancement of nurses' disaster literacy is imperative for effective disaster emergency management. However, there is currently a lack of knowledge regarding nurses' disaster literacy. This study represents the first attempt to explore the key components and characteristics of disaster literacy among nurses. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was employed, and the reporting followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines (refer to File S1). The purposive sampling method was utilized. Thirty-one rescue nurses from 31 medical institutions across 25 provinces and regions in China were recruited to participate in the study. The respondents were requested to share their experiences and insights regarding disaster rescue operations. Inductive content analysis was employed for data examination. RESULTS: The results indicated that rescue nurses universally recognized that there was a pressing need to enhance the level of disaster literacy among nurses. The disaster literacy of nurses encompasses nine dimensions: physical and mental quality, disaster rescue general knowledge, professional and technical competence, professional ethics, teamwork, emotional ability, information literacy, leadership, and knowledge transformation. CONCLUSIONS: To ensure national sustainability, government departments, healthcare organizations, and hospital administrators can accurately evaluate the disaster literacy of individual clinical nurses, groups, and the workforce as a whole through nine dimensions, which also can provide evidence to support the development of precision strategies to strengthen the disaster literacy of nurses.

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Objective: To study the level of disaster literacy among nurses in China and the influcing factors and to provide scientific basis for developing effective interventions to improve the disaster literacy among Chinese nurses. Methods: Between September 2021 and October 2021, an online survey was conducted among nurses from health care institutions in eastern, central, western, and northeastern China by using a cross-sectional survey design and convenience sampling. The content of the survey included the surveyed nurses' sociodemographic characteristics, occupational characteristics, disaster relief characteristics, self-efficacy, and disaster literacy level. A disaster literacy model developed previously was used to assess the nurses' disaster literacy. Results: A total of 107997 nurses were covered in the survey and their disaster literacy score was found to be 255.62±53.92. According to the findings of multiple linear regression, the protective factors for disaster literacy among Chinese nurses included the following, being based in Eastern region (non-standardized regression coefficient [ B]=2.365, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.647-3.082), male sex ( B=9.418, 95% CI: 7.892-10.944), bachelor's degree or higher level of education ( B=3.822, 95% CI: 3.195-4.450), tertiary-level hospitals ( B=3.569, 95% CI: 3.000-4.138), military/local public hospitals ( B=2.606, 95% CI: 1.750-3.463), emergency department ( B=2.921, 95% CI: 2.149-3.694), intermediate professional title ( B=2.918, 95% CI: 2.209-3.627), senior professional title ( B=5.801, 95% CI: 4.448-7.155), participation in disaster rescue ( B=5.566, 95% CI: 5.020-6.112), the institution being previously involved in disaster emergency rescue ( B=3.257, 95% CI: 2.429-4.084), the institution having set up disaster rescue team ( B=5.967, 95% CI: 5.103-6.831), having received nursing education in disaster preparedness in school ( B=6.205, 95% CI: 5.621-6.790), having received on-the-job disaster preparedness education and training ( B=8.776, 95% CI: 8.027-9.525), and self-efficacy ( B=5.117, 95% CI: 5.069-5.165). Conclusions: In China, disaster literacy among nurses is at a medium to low level and needs to be improved. For the next step, efforts should be focused on nurses with the following features, being based in the central and western regions, female sex, having completed junior college education or less, no nursing education in disaster preparedness in school, having junior professional titles, being from gynecology, pediatrics, and auxiliary departments, working in grassroots medical and health institutions and primary and secondary-level hospitals, neither the individual respondent nor her institution having any experience in disaster rescue, the institution having no disaster rescue team, not having any on-the-job nursing education and training in disaster preparedness, and having low self-efficacy. Measures should be taken to improve their disaster literacy level.

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to design and develop a self-report Disaster Literacy Scale (DLS) tool that could evaluate the knowledge and skills of an individual specific to Turkish society. METHOD: Item development, expert opinions, language control, pilot study and field testing processes were monitored in the measurement tool based on a conceptual model and recognition. RESULTS: 23 items were taken out since their common variance values (>0,508, >0.500, >0.500, >0.400, respectively) and factor load relationship (>0.46, >0.50, >0.50, >0.50 and >0.55, respectively) in the mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery phases of the Exploratory Factor Analysis were insufficient. The Cronbach Alpha value of the remaining 61 items in the Disaster Literary Scale is 0.954 and between 0.83-0.88 in lower dimensions. DLS scoring was standardized between 0-50 points. CONCLUSIONS: The objectives, scopes, limitations and steps of the design and development process of the Disaster Literacy Scale were given in detail and made understandable for other societies. The Disaster Literacy Scale was developed as a self-report scale that could evaluate the knowledge and skills of Turkish society in disasters. The Disaster Literacy Scale is, therefore, expected to be accepted in more countries to improve the understanding of disaster literacy in different societies.

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OBJECTIVE: Disaster health literacy is vital for emergency medicine and public health preparedness. Conversely, how health and safety information is communicated has a significant impact on disaster health literacy. A lack of alignment between the disaster response and the public's reaction was apparent during a Dutch chemical incident. This case study aims to provide insights into why that misalignment occurred. METHODS: The case study used readily available Twitter data. The tweets represented both the public and the authorities. The tweets were coded, thematically categorised, analysed, and synthesised to generate an explanatory framework describing the obstacles experienced during the emergency. RESULTS: The analysis identified four areas of concern with regards to the lack of alignment between the authorities and the public: the alert of the chemical incident, the inadequate communication, the problematic disaster management, and the insufficient disaster health literacy. CONCLUSION: The case study showed shortcomings in communication and a lack of alignment in the emergency response of the authorities as well as the public's disaster health literacy. Immediate action points were apparent, and a more profound evaluation is recommended to avoid further escalation of an emergency in the future. Trust needs to be built before the next incident strikes.

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OBJECTIVES: Disaster literacy, which is a concept involved in moral quality, knowledge, and ability, impacts the disaster response. This study aimed to evaluate disaster education needs and to determine the affecting factors of disaster literacy among college students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted through questionnaires. A total of 7200 college students from 10 colleges and universities in 5 provinces and cities in China were investigated. RESULTS: Disaster education needs were urgently. For the participants, 79.43% stated that their families were not prepared for disaster prevention items, 96.36% suggested a campus emergency rescue team, and 88.64% obtained disaster knowledge through TV or Internet, and only 12.89% had offered relevant courses in their disciplines. The total scores of college students' disaster literacy were 87.85 ± 19.86, which was at a low level. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, major, grade, place of residence, parental education, mother's occupation, disaster experience, disaster training experience, and family disaster preparedness significantly affected college students' disaster literacy, especially grade, family disaster preparedness, and place of residence. CONCLUSIONS: College students' disaster literacy education is urgently needed. Families, communities, colleges and the government should attach importance to disaster literacy education for college students.

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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop an integrated definition and a conceptual model covering the dimensions of disaster literacy. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted to identify the definitions and conceptual frameworks of disaster literacy. The content analysis of definitions and conceptual frameworks were conducted to identify the central dimensions of disaster literacy and to develop an integrated model. RESULTS: In this study, 8 disaster literacy definitions and 4 conceptual model studies related to disasters were found. In line with these studies, a comprehensive definition of disaster literacy was presented. In addition, based on content analysis, a 16-matrix integrative conceptual model of the mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery dimensions of disaster literacy, and the access, understanding, appraisal, and application areas of disaster information processing were developed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a comprehensive definition and conceptual framework of disaster literacy were presented in an integrated model. By using this model, practices that are special to the phases of a disaster can be identified and supported in society. In addition, the model can contribute to empirical studies by providing the basis for the development of tools to measure disaster literacy.

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OBJECTIVE: Natural disasters are becoming increasingly common, but it is unclear whether families can comprehend and use available resources to prepare for such emergencies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the literacy demands of risk communication materials on natural disasters for US families with children. METHODS: In January 2018, we assessed 386 online self-directed learning resources related to emergency preparedness for natural disasters using 5 literacy assessment tools. Assessment scores were compared by information source, audience type, and disaster type. RESULTS: One-in-three websites represented government institutions, and 3/4 were written for a general audience. Nearly 1-in-5 websites did not specify a disaster type. Assessment scores suggest a mismatch between the general population's literacy levels and literacy demands of materials in the areas of readability, complexity, suitability, web usability, and overall audience appropriateness. Materials required more years of education beyond the grade level recommended by prominent health organizations. Resources for caregivers of children generally and children with special health care needs possessed lower literacy demands than materials overall, for most assessment tools. CONCLUSIONS: Risk communication and public health agencies could better align the literacy demands of emergency preparedness materials with the literacy capabilities of the general public.

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