DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AMONG VULNERABLE GROUPS: A LITERATURE REVIEW
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Abstract
Background: Indonesia is among the countries with the highest levels of disaster threat in the world owing to its position at the meeting point of tectonic plates and along the Pacific Ring of Fire. In every disaster, vulnerable groups—older people, persons with disabilities, children, pregnant and lactating women, and individuals with chronic illness—are consistently the most affected yet the least represented in preparedness planning. Objective: This literature review aims to synthesise evidence on disaster preparedness among vulnerable groups, its determinants and barriers, relevant policy frameworks, and implications for nursing and community practice. Methods: A narrative review of national and international literature published between 2011 and 2026, searched through academic databases using combined keywords relating to disaster preparedness and vulnerable groups. Results: The literature indicates that vulnerability is not a fixed attribute but a condition shaped by the interaction of individual characteristics, socio-economic context, and disaster phase. Vulnerable groups tend to report lower household preparedness, barriers to accessing early-warning information and evacuation, and special needs that are frequently overlooked. Community-based education and empowerment interventions are shown to improve preparedness knowledge and skills. Conclusion: An inclusive, participatory, and disaggregated-data-based approach to preparedness is needed so that no group is left behind. Nurses and health workers hold a strategic role as educators, facilitators, and advocates.
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References
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