Relationship between disaster prevention awareness and preparedness among residents living in mountainous areas of Japan

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to clarify the factors in fl uencing disaster prevention awareness and their association with disaster preparedness among residents living in mountainous areas of Japan. Methods: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted with health examination participants in City A in August 2018. The survey items included basic attributes, disaster prevention awareness and related factors, and disaster preparedness. Descriptive statistics were performed on each item, followed by a t -test and multiple regression analysis. Results: In total, 113 (48.7%) valid responses were received. The mean total score on the Disaster Prevention Awareness Scale was 82.3, which was signi fi cantly higher than that found in a national survey ( p < 0.01). As a result of the multiple regression analysis, “ Number of years of residence ” and “ Experience participating in disaster prevention events ” were extracted as factors a ff ecting disaster awareness (R 2 = 0.222). Signi fi cant relationships ( p < 0.05) were found for all sub-factors except “ Be covered by earthquake insurance ” . Conclusion: The implementation rate of disaster prevention awareness and preparedness among residents living in mountainous areas of Japan was higher than that reported in a national survey. “ Number of years of residence ” and “ Experience participating in disaster prevention events ” were extracted as factors a ff ecting disaster awareness. In the context of preparedness, all items were related, except for “ Be covered by earthquake insurance ” , which is di ffi cult to address, even if disaster prevention awareness is high, because it represents an economic burden.