Jahangiri K * ¹ (MD, MPH, PhD), Azin SA¹ (MD), Mohammad K² (PhD), Rahimi Forushani A² (PhD)

  ¹ Department of Family Health, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research (IHSR),

  The Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran

  ² Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health,

  Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

  Received: 8 May 2010, Accepted: 10 Oct 2010

  Abstract

  Introduction: Tehran has been built over the Earth's crust. Research has shown that preparedness in dealing with disasters can minimize loss of life and property. This study was performed to measure residents of Tehran’s knowledge, attitude and practice regarding earthquake preparedness.

  Methods: This descriptive/ analytical study was carried out using cross-sectional design. A questionnaire was used for a door-to-door survey of the 22 municipal districts in Tehran which involved 1211 subjects aged 15 and above. Odds ratio and confidence interval of factors of variables were determined. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test and Data adjustment was undertaken by logistic regression model.

  Results: 588 of subjects (48.6%) were male. Minimum and maximum limits of age were 15 to 100 years for men (mean± SD: 37.3±16.4) and 15 to 84 years for women (mean± SD: 34.5±14.6). 31.4% of Tehran residents had poor knowledge of disaster preparedness. For 31.4% the knowledge was at a "moderate" level, and the remaining 37.2% had a level of knowledge judged to be "acceptable". The relative frequencies of people with poor, moderate and acceptable attitude were 25.6%, 32.5% and 41.9%, respectively. Poor, moderate and acceptable practice was seen in 25.7%, 29% and 45.3%, respectively.

  Conclusion: The housewives, jobless and retired people, residents of western, central and southern districts, senior citizens, pensioners, single people, poorly educated people, and people living in crowded families are high risk groups and need education.

  Key words: KAP study Disasters Earthquakes Preparedness Iran

  Hakim Research Journal 2010 13(3): 155- 164.

  * Corresponding Author: Department of Family Health, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research (IHSR), The Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran. Tel: +98-21-66951877,
Fax: +98-21-66480805, Email: kjahangiri@ihsr.ac.ir