Community-Based Disaster Prepardness; A Training Program Based On Needs Assessment

Introduction: The aim of this study was to develop an educational program that would address the basic training needs of Community-Based Health Organizations (CBHOs) or Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) that are involved in disaster response.  Materials and Methods: This qualitative study has two phases: 1) designing the educational program based on the training needs identified through interviews with key informants and 2) validating the program by conducting focus group discussions (FGDs) with key informants of the disaster health and medical educations. Results: The research team achieved two main goals: establishing the conceptual framework of CBHOs/NGOs and social determinants of health (SDH) and defining 12 objectives in the areas of “role and social status”, “structures”, “practical approaches”, “culture of safety”, “social responsibility”, “social cohesion”, “addiction support plans”, “women’s needs”, “mental health”, “ethical standards”, and “communication skills”. The educational program was elaborated by specifying the syllabus, duration, educational strategies/teaching methods, target groups, and budget for each objective. Conclusions: Training courses can equip CBHOs with the skills and knowledge to coordinate their actions and adapt their response to the diverse needs and preferences of the community.

Community-Based Disaster Prepardness; A Training Program Based On Needs Assessment Keywords:

Education , Community Participation , Voluntary Health Agencies , Disasters