The Effect of the Disaster Preparedness Education Program Based on the Health Belief Model on the Disaster Preparedness of Older People in the Community: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Disasters; It is an important public health problem of uncertain time, causing loss of life and property, having severe economic consequences, and causing serious health problems in the long term. In dealing with disasters, it is expected that measures to reduce the damage and losses caused by the hazards that the disaster may cause are taken during the disaster preparedness phase. For this reason, the individuals in the society should be educated before the disaster and their preparedness for the disaster should be ensured. While it is possible for young age groups to access information, participate in public education and self-learning, they need support for their preparedness for disasters because there is no disaster education program specific to older individuals. This project was designed as a single-blind (participant) randomized controlled study in order to examine the effect of the Disaster Preparedness Education Program (SIMAH) based on the Health Belief Model of older people in the society on their preparedness to disasters according to the active control group to which the public education materials prepared by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) will be given. The research was planned to be carried out in a total of six clusters in Antalya province Muratpaşa district and Konyaaltı district between October and December 2023 in older people houses, retirement cafes and district parks where older people are concentrated. The sample size was calculated as 66 older individuals (intervention: 33, control: 33). The SIMAH Program, which includes interactive group training for three months, public education materials prepared by AFAD, and reminder phone messages, will be applied to the initiative group. Public education materials prepared by AFAD will be given to the active control group in the same period. Outcomes will be measured with the Disaster Readiness Scale, the General Disaster Preparedness Belief Scale, and the Individual Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Form, before the intervention, after the training program, and three months later.