Meeting Information Needs in a Natural Hazard: Development of Crisis Information Needs and Adequacy

Abstract

The frequency of natural-hazard crises is on the rise. These crises create a great deal of uncertainty, which in turn, generates stress and negatively affects individuals’ psychological well-being. To mitigate these feelings and symptoms, people seek information from a wide range of sources, including non-crisis-response organizations with which they are affiliated. More specifically, individuals seek information from places where they work, volunteer, attend school, and/or worship. However, there is limited research on the information needs internal stakeholders seek from their organizations and the adequacy of the information provided. In this paper, a new reliable and valid scale, Crisis Information Needs and Adequacy for Internal Stakeholders (CINA-IS) is introduced. Three studies to develop and test this scale are described in detail. This 6-item, one-factor scale can be used to both (a) measure the construct of crisis information needs of internal stakeholders from non-crisis-response organizations and (b) assess the extent to which these types of organizations have met those needs – from the perspective of internal stakeholders. Organizations and those who study them are encouraged to use this scale to improve crisis communication planning. Adequately meeting internal stakeholders’ information needs has the potential to help reduce uncertainty and negative psychological impacts on an organizations’ most important asset – its people.