Disaster Prevention and Education Needs among Indigenous Community Residents

In 1989, the United Nations (UN) proclaimed the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (1990-1999). The Decade is aims to decrease the loss of life, property damage and social and economic upheaval caused by natural disasters.Indigenous health related issues have become one of the most important national health policies in recent years. However, it did not include the cultural appropriate perspective in disaster prevention and response policy development process. Investigation into the indigenous community disaster prevention and response programs in Taiwan are necessary. The study is expected to be conducted in two years. The major purpose of this research is to explore the status of disaster prevention and response, and education needs for indigenous tribal communities and to develop culture-sensitive strategies. The first year of research includes literature review, indigenous health database analyses, in-depth interviews, tribal meetings and mail questionnaire surveys for health stations and fire brigades in mountain and plain areas. Literature analysis is to explore the culture differences in disaster prevention and response related strategies and researches in foreign countries. Indigenous health database analyses will focus on the major death causes trend and morbidity types in the past ten years. Mailed questionnaires are to explore the disaster risk assessment, emergency injuries and diseases types, disaster relief and prevention status, and barriers for program implementation. The second year of research is to conduct tribal indigenous people face to face questionnaire survey in mountain and plain areas. The survey is expected to conduct face-to face interviews for 1,100 indigenous community residents. The questionnaire mainly explores varieties of disaster risk perception, emergency preparedness and disaster relief and prevention education needs. The results of the study through meetings consensus of tribes and experts will develop indigenous disaster prevention education strategies.