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Purpose Social vulnerability in the context of disaster management refers to the sociodemographic characteristics of a population and the physical, social, economic, and environmental factors that increase their susceptibility to adverse disaster outcomes and capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from disaster events. Because disasters do not impact people equally, researchers, public health practitioners, and emergency managers need training to meet the complex needs of vulnerable populations. Design/methodology/approach To address gaps in current education, the CONVERGE initiative, headquartered at the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, developed the Social Vulnerability and Disasters Training Module. This free online course draws on decades of research to examine the factors that influence social vulnerability to disasters. Examples of studies and evidence-based programs are included to illuminate common methods for studying social vulnerability and ways that research can guide practice. To evaluate the module, all trainees completed a pre- and post-training questionnaire. Findings Between July 2019 and September 2021, 1,089 people completed the module. Wilcoxon signed rank tests demonstrated a significant perceived increase in self-rated knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA). Students, members of historically underrepresented populations, and those new to or less experienced in the field, had the greatest perceived increase. Practical implications This training module can help participants understand the specific needs of socially vulnerable populations to help reduce human suffering from disasters. Originality/value This article describes a novel web-based training and offers evaluation data showing how it can help educate a broad hazards and disaster workforce on an important topic for disaster management.
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This content will become publicly available on July 1, 2026
Advancing Workforce Development and Evidence-Based Practice in US Territories: An Evaluation of the Public Health Disaster Research Award Program
Context:Many people living in the 5 inhabited US territories experience high rates of natural hazard exposure and social vulnerability to disaster impacts. Public health workforce development and evidence-based, culturally competent approaches to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery are needed in these regions. Program:In 2020, the Natural Hazards Center established thePublic Health Disaster Research Award Programwith funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program’s goal is to advance public health disaster research and practice by funding, training, mentoring, and connecting researchers, students, and practitioners in historically underserved areas with high natural hazard risk. Between 2020 and 2022, 26 research teams received up to $50 000 each to investigate public health disasters in 1 or more US territories. The program also supported awardees by providing individual consultations, online trainings, feedback on report drafts, and a virtual group workshop on the public health implications of research. Awardees authored final reports and presented at a public webinar. Evaluation:In 2023, the Natural Hazards Center developed and distributed an online survey to all principal investigators. The survey evaluated how awardees advanced knowledge about public health disasters in the US territories; what skills, resources, and connections they acquired; and how they translated their research into public health applications and otherwise disseminated their findings. Discussion:Our evaluation showed that the program is advancing knowledge of understudied hazard contexts and socially vulnerable populations in the US territories and supports awardees in sharing their findings with academics, policymakers, and practitioners. Moreover, it expanded the public health disaster workforce by bringing professionals from a diverse range of disciplines and institutions into the field, and by investing in students, early career scholars, and investigators based in US territories. Researchers are working with local partners to apply their findings to practice.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1635593
- PAR ID:
- 10614336
- Publisher / Repository:
- Journal of Public Health Management & Practice
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Public Health Management & Practice
- Volume:
- 31
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1078-4659
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 600 to 609
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- public health research award program research impact U.S. territories perishable data quick response research
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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This survey instrument was administered to evaluate the impact of the Public Health Disaster Research Award Program. It includes closed- and open-ended questions about the following topics: (1) the skills, knowledge, and connections that research team members acquired during the award period; (2) the publications, grant proposals, educational materials, and/or traineeships that team members developed post-award using research findings; (3) the collaborations with community partners, public health departments, and other hazards and disasters scholars or practitioners that team members built post-award; and (4) how team members applied their research findings to practice by developing new public health tools or promoting changes to public health policies or programs.more » « less
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Abstract U.S. states, territories, and tribal areas develop State Hazard Mitigation Plans (SHMPs) to reduce the impact of disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approves SHMPs every five years as required for states to receive disaster relief grants and mitigation project funding. In 2023, FEMA’s updated policy guidance for SHMPs took effect, recommending more robust use of social vulnerability as an assessment of equity in multi-hazard risk assessments. Such approaches are necessary because social vulnerability emerges from systemic inequities that result in marginalized populations facing disproportionate exposure and impacts from natural hazards. We developed two novel datasets on the different population groups, definitions, and measures of social vulnerability included in SHMPs for all 50 U.S. states and the 5 inhabited U.S. territories. Our analysis shows that states differ in terms of how (and if) social vulnerability is defined and measured. All plans include at least one vulnerable population in their guidance – most often the elderly, children, or people with disabilities. Inclusion of other populations such as immigrants, LGBTQIA + persons, or unhoused persons is much more varied. The study concludes with recommendations for how SHMPs can advance equitable and inclusive planning processes that center robust definitions and measures of social vulnerability and socially vulnerable populations.more » « less
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