Sustainable Earthquake Preparedness A Cross-Cultural is the central topic of this scientific publication.
Abstract
Authorities and governmental bodies strongly emphasize the importance of residents preparing for natural disasters, particularly underscoring the significance of readiness for geophysical hazards like earthquakes. In this study, which represents comparative quantitative research, the levels and predictors of the impact on preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters in South-Eastern European countries such as Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia are examined. Using the snowball sampling technique (online questionnaire), a survey of 1245 respondents (Montenegro (n = 400), North Macedonia (n = 345), and Serbia (n = 500) was conducted from February 2023 to February 2024. The paper is based on the central hypothesis that the most significant predictor of earthquake preparedness in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia is age, followed by education and gender. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the extent to which five scores of the subscales (household preparedness, community preparedness, disaster preparation, earthquake risk awareness, and reinforced house) were associated with seventh demographic and socio-economic variables. In addition to the mentioned analysis, other statistical analyses such as t-test, one-way ANOVA analysis, and Pearson correlation were also utilized. The results indicate that age emerges as a predictor in various aspects of earthquake-induced disaster preparedness and awareness in most models, followed by education and gender. These findings confirm the significance of respondents’ age in determining levels of preparedness and earthquake awareness. Overall, in North Macedonia, respondents recorded the highest ratings (M = 3.52) for household preparedness for earthquakes, compared to Serbia (M = 3.26) and Montenegro (M = 2.98), where the lower ratings were recorded. Research findings, taking into account cultural characteristics, can serve as a basis for the development of targeted interventions, strategies, policies, and programs aimed at improving the level of societal preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters.
Conclusions
The conducted research in the three countries (Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) has provided valuable insights into the levels and influencing factors of preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters. The obtained results indicated various variations regarding the implemented safety preventive measures, possession of supplies, shelters, connectivity, and fire safety. Respondents from North Macedonia stood out with high ratings of household readiness for earthquakes, while respondents from Serbia exhibited greater concern and better preparedness regarding fire safety measures. In contrast, respondents from Montenegro showed lower scores in various categories, suggesting the need for enhancing awareness and preparedness for disasters in that country.
The research has found that the age of the respondents is the most significant predictor of citizens’ preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. It has been determined that as the age of the respondents increases, the rating of household and community preparedness for earthquakes decreases. Additionally, education emerges as the second most significant predictor, highlighting the importance of education in enhancing preparedness, raising awareness, and providing necessary information about earthquakes. The complex interaction between age and perception of earthquake preparedness reveals that as respondents age, the perception of preparedness of their households and communities for earthquakes decreases. However, with increasing age, respondents demonstrate increased awareness of potential house damage due to earthquakes, as well as increased awareness of the needs of vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and infants. Additionally, the research indicates concerning trends regarding the existence of designated shelters in the surveyed countries, suggesting potential shortcomings in shelter infrastructure and an urgent need for improvement to ensure residents’ safety during disasters. The analysis of reinforced houses revealed that gender was the most significant predictor, followed by education and employment. These findings emphasize the importance of gender in influencing the likelihood of having reinforced houses, with education and employment status also playing notable roles. Further analyses revealed that female participants tend to perceive lower community preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters compared to males, while males perceive higher levels of earthquake-resistant house reinforcement compared to females. Additionally, females communicate more extensively with neighbours about earthquake-induced disasters compared to males. Identification of factors influencing disaster preparedness, such as age, education, and gender, provides a basis for the development of more effective strategies for disaster prevention and response. Identification of deficiencies in existing disaster preparedness systems enables decision-makers to allocate resources and develop programs to improve disaster response and reduce the risk to the population. This research can also serve as a basis for educating the public about the importance of disaster preparedness and encourage collective efforts to build more resilient communities. The study provides a deeper understanding of the factors influencing disaster preparedness in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, particularly focusing on earthquake-induced disasters. This understanding can inform future research aimed at exploring the nuances of preparedness in different socio-economic and demographic contexts. In general, the wealth of data on citizen preparedness in different countries, such as Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, provides valuable insights for decision-makers, first responders, and local communities in the process of developing targeted interventions, strategies, and programs aimed at enhancing societal safety in such circumstances. By highlighting clear predictors and factors and offering specific explanations of their correlation with preparedness, decision-makers and other stakeholders can improve the resilience of local communities and reduce the direct and indirect impacts of such events on people and their infrastructure. The identified differences in household preparedness ratings among the countries covered by the study have significant implications for disaster management authorities and policymakers. Firstly, there is a need for tailored disaster preparedness initiatives that take into account specific socio-economic and demographic factors influencing preparedness levels in each country. Additionally, such differences in preparedness ratings underscore potential areas of vulnerability to such disasters within each country’s population. Identifying regions or demographic groups with lower levels of preparedness enables authorities to prioritize resource allocation and intervention efforts to address these gaps and mitigate the impact of future disasters. Furthermore, comparing household preparedness ratings between countries can facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices among disaster management authorities. In essence, the differences in household preparedness ratings emphasize the importance of targeted, evidence-based policies and interventions in improving overall disaster preparedness and response capabilities in the countries covered by the study. Research findings, taking into account cultural characteristics, can serve as a basis for the development of targeted interventions, strategies, policies, and programs aimed at improving the level of societal preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters.
How to cite
Grozdanić, G., Cvetković, V. M., Lukić, T., & Ivanov, A. (2024). Sustainable Earthquake Preparedness: A Cross-Cultural Comparative Analysis in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Sustainability, 16(8), 3138. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/8/3138
