Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

2 Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

3 Rehabilitation Management Department, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

Abstract

BACKGROUND: People with physical disability are vulnerable in disasters because of their mobility
limitations. They are unable to escape from hazards and their needs have been somewhat neglected
in planning and relief measures.
AIM: This study aimed to identify the mobility needs of people with physical disability during
earthquakes across different provinces of Iran.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using 18 semi‑structured interviews
with participants who had a kind of mobility disability. The participants, across six provinces of Iran
who had experienced an earthquake, were selected by purposive sampling in two ways of snowballing
and maximum variation in 2017. Data were analyzed thematically assisted by MAXQDA 10 software.
RESULTS: The mobility needs included house and workplace adaptation, spare assistive devices,
easy access to vehicles, special facilities for emergency evacuation, adaptation and accessibility of
shelters, adapted bathroom and toilet, and transferring by others.
CONCLUSION: By considering needs and experiences of people with physical disability in disaster
planning, appropriate interventions can be arranged to promote the level of response in disasters.
Such measures can have a significant role in maintaining the lives and health of such people.

Keywords

1. Forouzan AS, Baradarn Eftekhari M, Falahat K, Dejman M,
Heidari N, Habibi E, et al. Psychosocial needs assessment among
earthquake survivors in Lorestan province with an emphasis on
the vulnerable groups. Glob J Health Sci 2013;5:79‑84.
2. Djalali A, Khankeh H, Öhlén G, Castrén M, Kurland L. Facilitators
and obstacles in pre‑hospital medical response to earthquakes:
A qualitative study. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med
2011;19:30.
3. National Report of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Disaster
Reduction. World Conference on Disaster Reduction. 18th‑22nd.
Kobe, Hyogo, Japan; 2005.
4. BoroschekR, RetamalesR. Guidelines for Vulnerability Reduction
in the Design of New Health Facilities. Washington, DC: PAHO/
World Bank; 2004.
5. Sudaryo MK, Besral, Endarti AT, Rivany R, Phalkey R, Marx M,
et al. Injury, disability and quality of life after the 2009 earthquake
in Padang, Indonesia: A prospective cohort study of adult
survivors. Glob Health Action 2012;5:1‑1.
6. Emami MJ, Tavakoli AR, Alemzadeh H, Abdinejad F,
Shahcheraghi G, Erfani MA, et al. Strategies in evaluation and
management of bam earthquake victims. Prehosp Disaster Med
2005;20:327‑30.
7. World Health Organization. World Report on Disability. Geneva,
Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011.
8. World Health Organization. Disaster Risk Management for
Health: People with Disabilities and Older People United
kingdom: World Health Organization; 2011.
9. Abbott D, Porter S. Environmental hazard and disabled people:
From vulnerable to expert to interconnected. Disabil Soc
2013;28:839‑52.
10. Mace SE, Doyle CJ. Patients with access and functional needs in
a disaster. South Med J 2017;110:509‑15.
11. Greaney P, Pfiffner S, Wilson DD. Humanitarian Charter and
Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Southampton,
United Kingdom: The Sphere Project; 2011.
12. Kabir AH, Islam R, Islam MM, Maloyan S. How to Include
Disability Issues In Disaster Management: Following Floods 2004
in Bangladesh. Bangladesh: Handicap International; 2005.
13. Hans A. Disaster Management and Disability: Promoting a
Research Agenda. Bhubaneswar: Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation
Centre; 2012.Available from: http://www.preventionweb.
net/files/9706_DisasterManagement.pdf. [Last accessed on
2017 Jan 15].
14. Dunn J. New Zealand wheelchair users’ preparedness for
emergencies. Aust J Disaster Trauma Stud 2017;21:3‑18.
15. Aryankhesal A, Pakjouei S, Kamali M. Safety needs of people with
disabilities during earthquakes. Disaster Med Public Health Prep
2017; Forthcoming:1‑7. DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2017.121
16. FoxMH, WhiteGW, Rooney C, RowlandJL. Disaster preparedness
and response for persons with mobility impairments results from
the University of Kansas nobody left behind study. J Disabil Policy
Stud 2007;17:196‑205.
17. Abbasi Dolatabadi Z, Seyedin H, Aryankhesal A. Policies
on protecting vulnerable people during disasters in Iran:
A Document analysis. Trauma Mon 2016;21:e31341.
18. Sagun‑Ongtangco KS, AbenirMA, Bermejo CT, Shih ED, Wales JV,
Plaza J. Perspectives of the UST NSTP facilitators on disability
and disaster risk reduction and management: A qualitative case
study. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct 2016;16:134‑41.
19. Zod R, Fick‑Osborne R, Peters EB. A functional needs approach
to emergency planning. Disaster Med Public Health Prep
2014;8:301‑9.
20. Pakjouei S, Vameghi R, Dejman M, Vameghi M, Kamali M.
Satisfaction and related factors among the service users of private
rehabilitation centers. Iran Rehabil J 2014;12:35‑42.
21. Phibbs S, Good G, Severinsen C, Woodbury E, Williamson K,
editors. Emergency Preparedness and Perceptions of Vulnerability
among Disabled People Following the Christchurch Earthquakes:
Applying Lessons Learnt to the Hyogo Framework for Action.
AJDTS, IRDR Conference; 2015.
22. Stough LM, Sharp AN, Resch JA, Decker C, Wilker N. Barriers to
the long‑term recovery of individuals with disabilities following
a disaster. Disasters 2016;40:387‑410.
23. Phibbs S, Good G, Severinsen C, Woodbury E, Williamson K.
What about Us? Reported experiences of disabled people
related to the Christchurch earthquakes. Procedia Econ Finance
2014;18:190‑7.
24. Pope C, Mays N. Qualitative Research in Health Care. 3rd ed.
Oxford: Blackwell; 2006.
25. Streubert HJ, Carpenter DR. Qualitative Research in Nursing:
Advancing the Humanistic Imperative. Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins; 2011.
26. Creswell JW. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and
Mixed Methods Approaches. 4th ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage
Publications California; 2014.
27. Zaletel‑Kragelj L, Bozikov J. Methods and Tools in Public Health.
A Handbook for Teachers, Researchers and Health Professionals.
Lage: Hans Jacobs Publishing Company; 2010.
28. Creswell JW. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design Choosing
Among Five Approaches. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications; 2007.
29. Hunt MR, Chung R, Durocher E, Henrys JH. Haitian and
international responders’ and decision‑makers’ perspectives
regarding disability and the response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Glob Health Action 2015;8:27969.
30. Morris JT, Jones ML. Emergency preparedness for people with
disabilities. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2013;94:219‑20.
31. United Nations General Assembly. Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities: Resolution/Adopted by the General
Assembly, 24 January 2007a/res/61/106; 2007.
32. Twigg J, KettM, Bottomley H, TanLT, Nasreddin H. Disability and
public shelter in emergencies. Environ Hazards 2011;10:248‑61.
33. Hemingway L, Priestley M. Natural hazards, human vulnerability
and disabling societies: A disaster for disabled people? Respir
Distress 2014;2:57‑68.
34. Koo J, Kim YS, Kim BI, Christensen KM. A comparative studyof evacuation strategies for people with disabilities in high‑rise
building evacuation. Expert Syst Appl 2013;40:408‑17.
35. Williamson BJ, Demirbilek N, editors. Use of Lifts and Refuge
Floors for Fire Evacuation in High Rise Apartment Buildings.
Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Australian and
New Zealand Architectural Science Association; 2010.
36. Luo M, Wong KH, editors. Evacuation Strategy for Super Highrise
Building. Hong Kong: Proceedings of 5th Annual Seminar on Tall
Building Construction and Maintenance; 2006.
37. Xiong B, Luh PB, Chang SC, editors. Group Elevator Scheduling
with Advanced Traffic Information for Normal Operations and
Coordinated Emergency Evacuation. Robotics and Automation,
2005 ICRA 2005 Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE International
Conference on; 2005.
38. Aloi S, Rogers J. Evacuation and life safety strategies for super
high rise buildings. Building for the 21st Century: Technology,
Livability, Productivity. London, UK2001. p. 429‑36.
39. Rooney C, White GW. Consumer perspective narrative analysis
of a disaster preparedness and emergency response survey
from persons with mobility impairments. J Disabil Policy Stud
2007;17:206‑15.
40. Metz WC, Hewett P, Muzzarelli J, Tanzman E. Identifying
special‑needs households that need assistance for emergency
planning. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters 2002;20:1‑22.