Capella 4060 Assessment 3

Capella 4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX 4060 Practicing in the Community to Improve Population Health

Prof. Name

Date

Disaster Recovery Plan

Hello everyone, I am —–, and I will present a disaster recovery plan in this presentation. This session will discuss the MAP-IT model (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, and Track) as a structured plan to address the community’s needs in combating the aftermath of a disaster. I will also highlight the strategies by Healthy People 2030 to manage disaster recovery and mitigate its challenges. Smallville, CA, is a town with 5,200 population, and 22% of this population is below the poverty line, showing the portion of people with low Socioeconomic Status (SES) (Capella University, n.d). A disastrous wildfire recently impacted the town called The Blaze, which affected most people with low SES. This presentation will first discuss how the health determinants impacted this town’s disaster recovery efforts.

Determinants of Health 

The factors that determine the quality of health of an individual living within a community are called determinants of health. These factors are related to our physical environment, genetics, social environment, education and relationship with family and friends, and economic environment and financial status—these determinants of health impact health status, safety, and disaster recovery efforts (Ndumbe-Eyoh et al., 2021). When the society is educated, financially strong, has excellent social support, and a safe physical environment with access to a healthy environment, individuals of this community have better health and safety and an enhanced possibility of recovering from a disaster quickly. At the same time, a community with low health literacy, poor social support, and low SES is prone to health risks and delayed recovery from disaster (Gartrell et al., 2020). 

Social Barriers

Social barriers such as limited access to resources and education disparities impact disaster recovery efforts and the health and safety of community individuals. Likewise, the communication barriers due to poor communication structure can impede health recovery efforts during emergencies (Safapour et al., 2021). Vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled also face challenges in evacuation during disasters, which impact their health and safety (Gartrell et al., 2020).  Lastly, community fragmentation and social divisions hinder disaster recovery efforts as mutual support is required to manage disaster (Rouhanizadeh et al., 2020). 

Smallville has a population of 52,000, with 69% being white people. The education level of the community is relatively low, with only 18.5% of the population with a bachelor’s degree. However, about 84% of the community has attained a high school degree. This shows that health literacy among community members is low and can result in a lack of awareness of health and safety measures, hindering disaster recovery efforts. About 10.8% of the population of Smallville town is disabled and prone to disaster recovery difficulties (Capella University, n.d).

Cultural Barriers 

Cultural barriers stem from customs, beliefs, and cultural practices within different cultures and ethnicities. These barriers pose crucial challenges and hurdles to safety, health, and recovery efforts after a disaster. Language variation among cultures leads to misunderstanding and poor communication during emergencies (Rouhanizadeh et al., 2019). Similarly, the cultural stigma surrounding specific health issues discourages individuals from seeking medical assistance. For instance, mental health issues are often neglected due to stigma and shame. People suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after disasters are unable to recover from trauma due to cultural stigma (Safapour et al., 2021). Lastly, failure to respect and incorporate cultural practice into response efforts also poses resistance from the affected community. This delays disaster recovery and impacts community members’ safety and health (Rouhanizadeh et al., 2020).

Smallville encompasses a diverse population of different cultures, such as Africans, Asians, Whites, and other races. The multi-cultural factors stem from their cultural values and impact the disaster recovery efforts. An unknown number of migrants are also native to this town and have limited English proficiency. These language and cultural barriers impede disaster recovery efforts and affect the health and safety of community members (Capella University, n.d).

Economic Barriers 

The limited financial capability of a community needs help to afford necessary health services, safety measures, and disaster recovery efforts. Furthermore, the limited insurance coverage for health services prevents most of the population from accessing healthcare and hinders recovery efforts while impacting their safety and health (Rouhanizadeh & Kermanshachi, 2021). The economic constraints also limit access to reliable transport and pose challenges to individuals in evacuating and accessing required services during disasters (Rouhanizadeh et al., 2020). Smallville town has a median household income of $60,000, and 23% of the population suffers from poverty. Furthermore, about 12.5 % of the population is uninsured for health insurance coverage. The poor financial condition particularly impacts this population group and hinders disaster recovery efforts (Capella University, n.d).

These factors are not individual but interconnected to one another. For instance, socioeconomic status influences access to resources, including healthcare and education, impacting health outcomes. Similarly, cultural norms shape the population’s health behaviors and gender roles that ultimately affect access to healthcare and varied health outcomes. Lastly, the social cohesion of a community results in coordinated care in disaster management, which improves the health and safety of community members (Ziersch et al., 2020). 

Disaster Recovery Plan

The disaster recovery plan developed is based on the MAP-IT approach. This approach stands for Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, and Track (American Hospital Association, n.d.). We will discuss how this plan will be adopted to reduce health disparities and facilitate access to the community’s health services.

• Mobilize: The emergency response is activated at the beginning of this stage, and personnel, resources, and equipment are gathered for effective response toward managing resources. Moreover, communication channels are established to coordinate response efforts with stakeholders such as healthcare personnel, disaster recovery agencies, and organizations. 
• Assess: The community needs are assessed and identified to make informed decisions and prioritize response activities. For instance, vulnerable populations, environmental factors, and critical infrastructure are determined to prevent exacerbating the impact of the disaster.
• Plan: This phase requires equitable allocation of resources to deliver care efforts in a just manner. The low SES people are equally provided with healthcare services and disaster recovery efforts. Moreover, health disparities are overcome by neglecting racial and cultural differences in providing recovery efforts to disaster-affected populations. All the individuals are considered equal, and the risk mitigation plan is developed considering this factor. Furthermore, coordination and communication mechanisms are planned with stakeholders to ensure collaborative recovery efforts.

Capella 4060 Assessment 3

• Implement: This stage includes executing the response plan developed in the planning stage, such as providing medical care, food, and shelter to people. The planned strategies meet the community’s needs and initiate recovery. 
• Track: The progress of the response is continuously monitored, and the effectiveness is evaluated. This is done by establishing the feedback mechanisms to gather information from affected individuals, and the response is adjusted accordingly. Lastly, the response activities are documented, and the best response activities are developed as best practices for future reference and improvements (American Hospital Association, n.d.).

The principles of social justice and cultural sensitivity are essential to integrate while providing recovery efforts in a community. Allocating resources based on the needs of vulnerable populations is crucial to diminish disparities (Shrestha et al., 2019). Social justice can be obtained by involving the community in decision-making to prioritize their needs. Furthermore, the health disparities due to SES, cultural biases, and racial differences must be overcome by guaranteeing access to healthcare for all people (Tafti & Tomlinson, 2019). Similarly, cultural factors that influence resource distribution are identified. The staff involved in recovery must be culturally competent and tailor culturally supportive recovery efforts that respect their cultural preferences (Rouhanizadeh & Kermanshachi, 2021). Moreover, healthcare providers must receive adequate training in understanding and respecting diverse cultural backgrounds, such as their health beliefs, customary practices, and language preferences. These factors lead to better recovery of culturally sensitive people and convince them to acquire culturally competent care (Monteil et al., 2020). 

Impact of Governmental and Health Policy on Recovery Efforts

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is one of the governmental policies prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities. Also, it ensures these people acquire the required care during disaster recovery efforts (Iezzoni et al., 2022). This policy provision positively impacts disaster recovery efforts as it is mandatory for recovery teams to consider the disabled as prime recipients of disaster recovery actions and care treatments to promote their safety and well-being (Iezzoni et al., 2022). Another provision of this Act emphasizes effective communication with disabled people by using auxiliary aids and interpreters. This policy holds significant value in disaster management as emergency communication is necessary to save disabled lives, and warning signs and communication material must be accessible to address their communication needs. The logical implications for the community members will be inclusive emergency planning where disabled people will be equally prioritized, and their safety measures will be addressed (James, 2020). Moreover, the emergency disaster recovery team will ensure that shelters and housing options comply with ADA policy regulations. As a result, people with disabilities will have improved health outcomes and better safety after a disaster (Hay & Pascoe, 2019).

The Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) is a federal law by the U.S. that aims to streamline disaster response and recovery efforts. It promotes pre-disaster planning and mitigation efforts, encouraging communities to invest in resilience and reducing the need for extensive recovery efforts (Rouhanizadeh et al., 2020). The DRRA also enhances funds for preparing pre-disaster mitigation grants to initiate proactive measures. This leads to implementing projects that prevent disaster incidents and enhance infrastructure to show resilience after an unfortunate event (Mukherji et al., 2021). Moreover, this law encourages innovative technology in disaster recovery, enhancing communication, data collection, and response abilities. The policy implication will be better aligned with a collaborative team, resulting in positive recovery outcomes (Nawari & Ravindran, 2019).

Strategies to Overcome Communication Barriers and Improve Interprofessional Collaboration

The following strategies can be employed to overcome the communication barriers to improve disaster recovery efforts:

• Implement standardized communication platforms where all team members coordinate to facilitate real-time information sharing and improve efficiency. This can be done by using digital communication tools and real messaging systems. The disaster relief team will coordinate with other members effectively, and timely information can be shared. This will foster a bond of trust and understanding in the community (Ejaz et al., 2019).
• Using clear language that is common to all team members is essential to overcome communication barriers due to multi-linguistic issues. Simple language can promote better understanding and timely actions to prevent resource wastage and save human lives (Seba et al., 2019).
• Establishing clear communication protocols will enable enhanced information flow and avoid misunderstanding. The disaster relief team will make few communication errors and enhance team cohesion. Consequently, clear and consistent information sharing will reduce confusion and anxiety among community individuals (Ejaz et al., 2019).

Collaboration Strategies

Following collaboration strategies are promising ways to enhance interprofessional collaboration during disaster management and recovery:

• Conducting interprofessional training programs for disaster relief teams that emphasize effective communication, teamwork, and role clarity is vital. These training programs will enhance mutual respect and understanding while boosting collaboration skills. The implications for individuals and the community will be more coordinated and seamless assistance from team members, which promotes a sense of security and support (Digregorio et al., 2019).
• Regular meetings on disaster management will keep all stakeholders informed about recovery efforts and plans, enhancing collaboration among team members. The team members can be on the same page and reduce the errors due to miscommunication. This will result in better delivery of recovery actions for community members, improving their health and safety (Oktari et al., 2020).

Conclusion

To summarize, this disaster recovery plan was developed using the MAP-IT approach for the Smallville community. This community was affected by the wildfire event and impacted the financially unstable people of the town. There was a dire need to develop a disaster recovery plan that addressed this community’s health determinants. The ADA and DRRA policies that impact disaster recovery efforts are discussed. The last part discusses communication and collaboration strategies to improve disaster recovery efforts. 

References

American Hospital Association. (n.d.). Implementing healthy people 2020 | AHA. Www.aha.org. https://www.aha.org/websites/2013-07-30-implementing-healthy-people-2020

 Capella University. (n.d.). Disaster recovery plan. capella.edu.  https://signon.capella.edu/idp/SSO.saml2

Digregorio, H., Graber, J. S., Saylor, J., & Ness, M. (2019). Assessment of interprofessional collaboration before and after a simulated disaster drill experience. Nurse Education Today, 79, 194–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.05.023

Ejaz, W., Azam, M. A., Saadat, S., Iqbal, F., & Hanan, A. (2019). Unmanned aerial vehicles enabled iot platform for disaster management. Energies, 12(14), 2706. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12142706 

Gartrell, A., Calgaro, E., Goddard, G., & Saorath, N. (2020). Disaster experiences of women with disabilities: Barriers and opportunities for disability inclusive disaster risk reduction in Cambodia. Global Environmental Change, 64, 102134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102134 

Hay, K., & Pascoe, K. M. (2019). Disabled people and disaster management in new zealand: Examining online media messages. Disability & Society, 34(2), 253–275. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2018.1545114 

Capella 4060 Assessment 3

Iezzoni, L. I., Rao, S. R., Ressalam, J., Bolcic-Jankovic, D., Agaronnik, N. D., Lagu, T., Pendo, E., & Campbell, E. G. (2022). US physicians’ knowledge about the americans with disabilities act and accommodation of patients with disability. Health Affairs, 41(1), 96–104. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01136 

James, R. (2020, April 21). Disability inclusive disaster recovery : Guidance note. Policycommons.net; World Bank Group. https://policycommons.net/artifacts/1257533/disability-inclusive-disaster-recovery/1825508/ 

Monteil, C., Simmons, P., & Hicks, A. (2020). Post-disaster recovery and sociocultural change: Rethinking social capital development for the new social fabric. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 42, 101356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101356 

Mukherji, A., Ganapati, N. E., & Manandhar, B. (2021). Panacea or problem: New governance structures for disaster recovery. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 52, 101960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101960 

Nawari, N. O., & Ravindran, S. (2019). Blockchain and Building Information Modeling (BIM): Review and applications in post-disaster recovery. Buildings, 9(6), 149. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9060149 

Capella 4060 Assessment 3

Ndumbe-Eyoh, S., Muzumdar, P., Betker, C., & Oickle, D. (2021). “Back to better”: Amplifying health equity, and determinants of health perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Global Health Promotion, 28(2), 175797592110009. https://doi.org/10.1177/17579759211000975 

Oktari, R. S., Munadi, K., Idroes, R., & Sofyan, H. (2020). Knowledge management practices in disaster management: Systematic review. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 51, 101881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101881 

Rouhanizadeh, B., & Kermanshachi, S. (2021). Barriers to an effective post-recovery process: A comparative analysis of the public’s and experts’ perspectives. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 57, 102181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102181 

Rouhanizadeh, B., Kermanshachi, S., & Nipa, T. J. (2019). Identification, categorization, and weighting of barriers to timely post-disaster recovery process. Computing in Civil Engineering 2019. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482445.006 

Rouhanizadeh, B., Kermanshachi, S., & Nipa, T. J. (2020). Exploratory analysis of barriers to effective post-disaster recovery. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 50(1), 101735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101735 

Capella 4060 Assessment 3

Safapour, E., Kermanshachi, S., & Pamidimukkala, A. (2021). Post-disaster recovery in urban and rural communities: Challenges and strategies. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 64, 102535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102535 

Seba, A., Nouali-Taboudjemat, N., Badache, N., & Seba, H. (2019). A review on security challenges of wireless communications in disaster emergency response and crisis management situations. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 126, 150–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnca.2018.11.010 

Shrestha, K. K., Bhattarai, B., Ojha, H. R., & Bajracharya, A. (2019). Disaster justice in nepal’s earthquake recovery. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 33, 207–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.10.006 

Tafti, M. T., & Tomlinson, R. (2019). Theorizing distributive justice and the practice of post-disaster housing recovery. Environmental Hazards, 18(1), 7–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2018.1435406 

Ziersch, A., Miller, E., Baak, M., & Mwanri, L. (2020). Integration and social determinants of health and wellbeing for people from refugee backgrounds resettled in a rural town in south Australia: A qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09724-z