Changes in Self-Reported Household Preparedness Levels among a Rural Population after Exposure to Emergency Preparedness Campaign Materials

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the self-reported preparedness levels of a rural population in the US before and after an exposure to preparedness education materials from the Ready Campaign and the Texas “Ready or Not?” Campaign. Design and Methods: A before-and-after design was used for the study of people who attended a Medical Outreach held in rural east Texas. Results: Participants were significantly more prepared for an emergency after the educational program ( M =17.1; SD =6.43) than before the educational program ( M =13.21; SD =6.33; t (41)=–4.28; p <0.001; 95% CI [–5.74 to –2.06]; ES r =0.57). Conclusions: Increases in the incidences of disasters have significantly affected the attention given disaster planning and preparedness measures, yet preparedness efforts in the US have not achieved preparedness goals. It is vital that emergency preparedness education measures be assessed for effectiveness so that evidence-based approaches to conducting them can be utilized. The improvement in preparedness among participants supports providing preparedness education at public health events similar to the one in East Texas.