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Public health messaging during disasters : a qualitative study of emergency department key informants

- Coombs, Nicole, Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael

  • Authors: Coombs, Nicole , Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australasian Emergency Care Vol. 26, no. 4 (2023), p. 284-289
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  • Description: Background: Patient education is a professional obligation for all nurses. Public health messaging in emergency departments during disasters can help prevent further risk or illness for affected communities. In this study, Australian emergency nurse Key Informants share their perceptions and experiences of preventative messaging provided in their departments during disasters and the governance and processes in place to support this practice. Methods: The qualitative phase of a mixed methods study, where semi structured interviews were utilised, and data analysed using a six step Thematic analysis. Results: Three themes were identified: (1) Part of the Job; (2) It's all in the delivery; and (3) Preparation is the key. These themes include concepts involving the confidence and competence of nurses providing messages, what, when and how messages are being given and how prepared both the department and staff are regarding patient education during disaster events. Conclusions: Nurse confidence is a key factor in the delivery of preventative messages during disasters, potentially resulting from a lack of exposure, a junior workforce and minimal training. Leaders agree that departments are not preparing or supporting messaging practice, with an absence of specific training, formal guidelines, and patient education resources; and that improvement is needed. © 2023

The social justice issues of smoke im/mobilities

- Duffy, Michelle, Yell, Susan, Walker, Larissa, Morgan, Damian, Carroll, Matthew

  • Authors: Duffy, Michelle , Yell, Susan , Walker, Larissa , Morgan, Damian , Carroll, Matthew
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australian Geographer Vol. 54, no. 4 (2023), p. 573-587
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  • Description: In 2014, the Hazelwood mine fire burned for 45 days. Local communities were impacted by smoke and ash, and there were reports of raised carbon monoxide levels. Local news and social media reported residents experiencing numerous physical symptoms of smoke inhalation, including bleeding noses, coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. Paper masks to filter particulate matter were made available to residents to wear outside. The dust and ash constantly seeped into homes and offices, which required cleaning daily and sometimes multiple times during the day. Smoke was free to move across physical and bodily boundaries while those most vulnerable were hampered by lack of movement: pregnant women, the elderly and children were advised to leave the area. However, this suggestion to ‘simply’ move ignored the context of a community disproportionately impacted through years of economic decline and societal change. This paper explores the unequal mobilities of smoke and people that arose as a result of this event and draws on concepts of mobility justice (Sheller 2018) and emergency mobilities (Adey 2016) to reflect on the political dimensions of uneven mobility in times of crisis. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Methods and applications of social media monitoring of mental health during disasters : scoping review

- Teague, Samantha, Shatte, Adrian, Weller, Emmelyn, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew, Hutchinson, Delyse

  • Authors: Teague, Samantha , Shatte, Adrian , Weller, Emmelyn , Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew , Hutchinson, Delyse
  • Date: 2022
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: JMIR Mental Health Vol. 9, no. 2 (2022), p.
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  • Description: Background: With the increasing frequency and magnitude of disasters internationally, there is growing research and clinical interest in the application of social media sites for disaster mental health surveillance. However, important questions remain regarding the extent to which unstructured social media data can be harnessed for clinically meaningful decision-making. Objective: This comprehensive scoping review synthesizes interdisciplinary literature with a particular focus on research methods and applications. Methods: A total of 6 health and computer science databases were searched for studies published before April 20, 2021, resulting in the identification of 47 studies. Included studies were published in peer-reviewed outlets and examined mental health during disasters or crises by using social media data. Results: Applications across 31 mental health issues were identified, which were grouped into the following three broader themes: estimating mental health burden, planning or evaluating interventions and policies, and knowledge discovery. Mental health assessments were completed by primarily using lexical dictionaries and human annotations. The analyses included a range of supervised and unsupervised machine learning, statistical modeling, and qualitative techniques. The overall reporting quality was poor, with key details such as the total number of users and data features often not being reported. Further, biases in sample selection and related limitations in generalizability were often overlooked. Conclusions: The application of social media monitoring has considerable potential for measuring mental health impacts on populations during disasters. Studies have primarily conceptualized mental health in broad terms, such as distress or negative affect, but greater focus is required on validating mental health assessments. There was little evidence for the clinical integration of social media-based disaster mental health monitoring, such as combining surveillance with social media-based interventions or developing and testing real-world disaster management tools. To address issues with study quality, a structured set of reporting guidelines is recommended to improve the methodological quality, replicability, and clinical relevance of future research on the social media monitoring of mental health during disasters. © 2022 Samantha J Teague, Adrian B R Shatte, Emmelyn Weller, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Delyse M Hutchinson.

Public health messaging during disasters: Practice and attitudes of Australian emergency nurses

- Coombs, Nicole, Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael, Plummer, Virginia

  • Authors: Coombs, Nicole , Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Plummer, Virginia
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australasian Emergency Care Vol. 26, no. 2 (2023), p. 193-197
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  • Description: The growing frequency of disasters increases health system demands, increasing the need for emergency departments to provide public health messaging to prevent illness and reduce risk. This study aims to explore emergency nurse practice and attitudes in providing public health messages from the emergency department during disasters in Australia. Quantitative phase of a mixed methods study, using an explanatory sequential design. Australian emergency nurses were surveyed using a validated online questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, an enumerative content analysis, participant profiling and a factor analysis. Disaster experience varied in 143 nurse participants. The perception of the emergency nurse’s role in providing public health messages is influencing practice. Embracing teachable moments and health promotion responsibilities, attributes to positive attitudes and practice. In contrast, negative attitudes, lack of confidence, time, policy, and training, are barriers to public health messages being provided in the emergency setting. These barriers suggest that Australian emergency nurses may not have the capability, the opportunity, nor the motivation, to provide preventative messages to their patients during disasters. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors need to be addressed, ensuring nurses are confident and supported in their public health messaging practice during disasters.

Community learning through adversity and disaster : an Australian case study of rural adaptation and resilience beyond paid work

- Golding, Barry, Foley, Annette, Weadon, Helen

  • Authors: Golding, Barry , Foley, Annette , Weadon, Helen
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australian Journal of Adult Learning Vol. 60, no. 3 (2020), p. 515-537
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  • Description: Our paper uses a qualitative, case study approach to critically examine the role of community involvement in learning to adapt and develop resilience in the face of disaster. Within a decade, the already disadvantaged, small, Australian rural community of ‘Bellbird’ faced three catastrophic, human induced disasters: the Millennial Drought (1996 to 2010), a March 2013 bushfire and the COVID-19 epidemic of 2020. Our interviews were conducted during late 2019 and early 2020 with men and women shedders as well as their significant others in the usually vibrant and unusually gender inclusive ‘Bellbird Men’s Shed’. For at least six months following the interviews, the Bellbird Men’s Shed was shut as a consequence of the COVID-19 lockdowns. We opportunistically reflect on the data from our interviews and emerging literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to critically interrogate the role local community learning plays in responding to and developing resilience in the face of locally experienced global disasters. We conclude that Bellbird is a good example of a small, rural community where formal, top down decision making approaches to adult and community education in 2020 in Australia are sometimes impossible or inappropriate. Bellbird in effect exercised agency to create its unique, place and needs-based form of lifelong and lifewide learning ‘bottom up’ at its atypical community Men’s Shed. The practices and commitments the Shed adopted have provided the community with opportunities for developing personal and collective wellbeing and the necessary resilience for adapting to likely future shocks. © 2020, Adult Learning Australia. All rights reserved.

A new scale for disaster nursing core competencies : Development and psychometric testing

- Al Thobaity, Abdulellah, Williams, Brett, Plummer, Virginia

  • Authors: Al Thobaity, Abdulellah , Williams, Brett , Plummer, Virginia
  • Date: 2016
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal Vol. 19, no. 1 (2016), p. 11-19
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  • Description: Background: All nurses must have core competencies in preparing for, responding to and recovering from a disaster. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), as in many other countries, disaster nursing core competencies are not fully understood and lack reliable, validated tools. Thus, it is imperative to develop a scale for exploring disaster nursing core competencies, roles and barriers in the KSA. Objectives: This study's objective is to develop a valid, reliable scale that identifies and explores core competencies of disaster nursing, nurses' roles in disaster management and barriers to developing disaster nursing in the KSA. Methods: This study developed a new scale testing its validity and reliability. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to develop and test psychometric properties of the new scale. The PCA used a purposive sample of nurses from emergency departments in two hospitals in the KSA. Participants rated 93 paper-based, self-report questionnaire items from 1 to 10 on a Likert scale. PCA using Varimax rotation was conducted to explore factors emerging from responses. Findings: The study's participants were 132 nurses (66% response rate). PCA of the 93 questionnaire items revealed 49 redundant items (which were deleted) and 3 factors with eigenvalues of >1. The remaining 44 items accounted for 77.3% of the total variance. The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.96 for all factors: 0.98 for Factor 1, 0.92 for Factor 2 and 0.86 for Factor 3. Conclusions: This study provided a validated, reliable scale for exploring nurses' core competencies, nurses' roles and barriers to developing disaster nursing in the KSA. The new scale has many implications, such as for improving education, planning and curricula. © 2015.

The psychological impacts of a smoke event on young adults compared to other aged adults in Victoria, Australia

- O'Donohue, Katelyn, Berger, Emily, McLean, Louise, Gao, Caroline, Broder, Jonathan, Abramson, Michael, Sim, Malcolm, Ikin, Jillian, Brown, David, Dimitriadis, Christina, Walker, Judi, Carroll, Matthew

  • Authors: O'Donohue, Katelyn , Berger, Emily , McLean, Louise , Gao, Caroline , Broder, Jonathan , Abramson, Michael , Sim, Malcolm , Ikin, Jillian , Brown, David , Dimitriadis, Christina , Walker, Judi , Carroll, Matthew
  • Date: 2022
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Vol. 70, no. (2022), p.
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  • Description: A cross-sectional survey of 3090 Morwell adults, including 446 young adults (18–34) was administered approximately 2.5 years following the 2014 Hazelwood smoke event in Morwell, Victoria. Young adults with higher smoke exposure tended to experience greater psychological distress than other ages. For every 10 (μg/m3) increase in exposure there was a 2.08 point increase in event related psychological distress for young adults (95% CI: 0.11 to 4.10) compared to no increase for adults aged 65 and over (−0.04; 95% CI: -0.75 to 0.67). A similar non-significant trend was identified for general psychological distress. Prior mental health conditions and prior traumatic event exposures also tended to place young adults at higher risk of general psychological distress. These findings have critical implications for intervening with young adults following prolonged smoke events. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

Perceptions of knowledge of disaster management among military and civilian nurses in Saudi Arabia

- Al Thobaity, Abdulellah, Plummer, Virginia, Innes, Kelli, Copnell, Beverley

  • Authors: Al Thobaity, Abdulellah , Plummer, Virginia , Innes, Kelli , Copnell, Beverley
  • Date: 2015
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal Vol. 18, no. 3 (2015), p. 156-164
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  • Description: Summary Background It is generally accepted that nurses have insufficient knowledge about disaster preparedness due to a lack of acceptance of core competencies and the absence of disaster preparedness in nursing curricula.1 This study explored nurses’ knowledge and sources of knowledge, and skills as they relate to disaster management in Saudi Arabia, where more than 4660 people have died, 32,000 people have been affected, and US$4.65 billion in damage has been caused by disaster since 1980.2 Methods A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive research design. Results Nurses in Saudi Arabia have moderate knowledge concerning disaster preparedness. However, nurses in military hospitals possess more knowledge than those who work in government hospitals. The majority of nurses gained their knowledge and skills from disaster drills. Conclusions Nurses need more education in all areas of disaster management, most importantly in their roles during response to disasters. Nurses perceive themselves as not well-prepared but they are willing to improve their skills in disaster preparedness if educational opportunities are provided.

An exploration of the influencing factors for effective public health messaging during disasters : a scoping review

- Coombs, Nicole, Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael

  • Authors: Coombs, Nicole , Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Public Health Vol. 228, no. (2024), p. 73-81
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  • Description: Objectives: Public health messaging during disasters help to provide knowledge and guidance for preventative behaviours and risk reduction. The aim of this review is to explore how public health messages are currently being provided during disasters and identify what influencing factors contribute to the effectiveness of these messages. Study design: Scoping review. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using guidance from Joanna Briggs Methodology for Scoping Reviews. A narrative synthesis was utilised due to the heterogeneity of findings. The review included seventeen sources, addressing a variety of disasters around the globe over the past two decades. Results: Three key influencing factors were identified and are illustrated in a concept model called the Audience, Information, Messenger and Mode (AIMM) Public Health Messaging Scale. This conceptual model depicts considerations such as the quantity, quality, and framing of information, the human and technological sources used for delivery and the audience needs and capabilities required for optimal message impact and effectiveness. Conclusions: Public health messages do influence prevention behaviours during disasters, but they must be carefully tailored and delivered to ensure adequate reach, comprehension, and compliance. © 2023 The Authors

Emergency nurse practice and attitudes towards public health messaging during disaster in Australia

- Coombs, Nicole

  • Authors: Coombs, Nicole
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
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  • Description: Background: Disasters continue to impact communities around the world. Population mortality and morbidity are not only determined by the disaster event, but the ongoing recovery and risk reduction procedures taking place. Public health messaging during disaster provides preventative health information to the public, aiming to empower populations with informed decision making and risk reduction strategies. During disasters, Emergency Departments (EDs) are often the first point of call for medical support and health information, which means nurses working in such settings are well situated for public health messaging practice. All registered nurses in Australia have a professional obligation to provide health information to their patients, however, the ED is a unique and challenging environment to provide such education. Aim: This study aims to explore the practice and attitudes of emergency nurses providing public health messages during disasters in Australia. Methods: A triphasic explanatory sequential mixed methods study was designed to gain insight into current practice and attitudes of Australian emergency nurses in relation to providing public health messages during disaster. A national sample of ED nurses provided insight into current practice and attitudes, whilst interviews from ED nurses and key informants (nurse managers) explained why they existed. Integration of the data sets was also presented using the COM-B behaviour model as the underpinning conceptual framework. Results: Survey results from 143 Australian nurses indicated current public health messaging practice is predominantly delivered verbally and at Triage. Whilst the majority of nurses believe public health messaging in the ED was important, barriers such as policy, time, and uncertainty, all influenced current practice. Similarly, nine emergency nurse and eight key informant interview participants highlighted confidence as a key influencing factor for practice, and a lack of guidance or standardisation of practice. No department disaster plans included the nurse educator role, nor were any departments offering staff education about disaster specific health education. Self-efficacy was accentuated by all data sets, with attitudes notably influencing messaging behaviour. Participants reported current practice as ad hoc, insufficient, and unsupported by department policy and resources. Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate Australian ED nurses lack capability, opportunity, and motivation to provide public health messages during disasters. Although current messaging practice is predominantly verbal and delivered at Triage, practice is ad hoc and often not deemed a priority. Nurses lack confidence and skills as educators and preparation deficits were identified in department processes and staff training. Public health messaging resources are insufficient, and disaster plans currently provide no guidance around the education role. Implications for Practice: This study provides informed recommendations to improve public health messaging practice in EDs across Australia. Further development of policy and resources are required to support public messaging practice in the ED. Departmental disaster plans must include the educative role to help standardise practice, and staff disaster-specific education and training will build confidence and improve educator skills. Community health outcomes will therefore benefit from improved public health messaging and risk reduction behaviours provided in the ED during disasters.
  • Description: Doctor of Philosophy

The impact of nature-led recovery initiatives for individual and community health post disaster : a systematic literature review

- Porter, Joanne, Dabkowski, Elissa, Ghasemiardekani, Maryam, Barbagallo, Michael, James, Michelle, Prokopiv, Valerie, Wright, Wendy

  • Authors: Porter, Joanne , Dabkowski, Elissa , Ghasemiardekani, Maryam , Barbagallo, Michael , James, Michelle , Prokopiv, Valerie , Wright, Wendy
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Reviews on Environmental Health Vol. 38, no. 4 (2023), p. 637-646
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  • Description: Objectives: The impact of disasters on individual and community health can be extensive. As such, there exists the need to establish recovery measures that provides support psychologically and with additional mental health services and resilience building for affected people and their communities. Nature-led recovery is one such approach that has the ability to positively impact the mental health of people and their communities after a disaster. Nature-led recovery focuses on the social, economic and environmental recovery through activities that connect people and their communities to nature and the natural environment with the aim to foster recovery after a disaster. Nature-led recovery initiatives support the connection of people with nature and the natural environment to support such recovery processes. This review considers both community and government-led responses pertaining to nature-led recovery. The aim of this review is to systematically explore the literature on the impact of nature-led recovery initiatives on individual and community health following a disaster. Content: This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) following a three-step process of planning, conducting and reporting the review. At least three authors reviewed all eligible articles. Summary: There was significant methodological heterogeneity between the sources identified (n=9). A narrative synthesis identified five key themes; A symbol of loss; Nature: the provider; Fostering community connectedness; Spiritual and emotional nourishment; and Regeneration leads to recovery. Outlook: The positive benefits from nature-led recovery initiatives provide an opportunity to promote community connectedness and resilience following a disaster. Further research is needed to explore the implementation and evaluation of these initiatives for community recovery. © 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
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