Occupational therapists in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery : a survey of knowledge and attitudes

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the level of knowledge among occupational therapists in disaster terminology and their attitudes toward a more prominent role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Method: A three part questionnaire was distributed electronically to 4,578 licensed occupational therapists in the state of Ohio. Results: A total of 601 questionnaires were obtained with a 13% response rate. Of the 601 participants, the majority (90.5%) were female. The greatest proportion of participants (54.7%) achieved a bachelor’s level of education. A total of sixty five participants indicated involvement during a disastrous event while only 16.6 % have taken a course in disaster preparedness and response. Despite the lack of formal training and experience in disaster situations, nearly 58% of the participants reported feeling capable of providing professional occupational therapy services during a disaster. Analysis of the knowledge portion of the questionnaire revealed 23% of respondents achieved a passing score with no statistically significant difference in the percentage of correct responses among the types of entry-level education. A positive response was indicated by the majority of participants for each of the eight questions within the attitude section of the questionnaire. Conclusion: The current study illustrated the limited exposure of the profession to disaster management and the need for an increase in research and education in this specialized area of practice. However, assessment of the majority of occupational therapists attitudes toward disaster training and involvement in the future was positive for each of the phases of disaster