Ethical perspectives and attitudes of disaster workers throughout the disaster management cycle in the Middle East

Disaster responders operate in high-pressure environments where ethical decision-making is critical to ensuring fairness, dignity, and harm minimization. This study explores the ethical perspectives and attitudes of disaster workers in the Middle East across all phases of the disaster management cycle: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. Using a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design, data were collected from 86 disaster personnel, including emergency medical staff, search and rescue teams, and humanitarian volunteers, through a structured questionnaire. The findings reveal a significant gap between theoretical knowledge of ethical principles and their practical application in the field. While 82 percent of respondents demonstrated a strong understanding of confidentiality, only 67 percent consistently applied it in field practice. Similarly, resource allocation and autonomy showed larger discrepancies, with only 45 and 35 percent of respondents, respectively, applying these principles in real-world scenarios. Cultural norms and local values further complicated ethical decision-making, highlighting the need for context-sensitive approaches. The study underscores the inadequacy of current training programs, which prioritize operational readiness over ethical preparedness. To bridge this gap, ethics must be integrated into disaster response training as a core component, reinforced through continuous professional development and structured debriefings. By fostering ethical competence, organizations can better equip responders to navigate the moral complexities of disaster scenarios. This research contributes to the growing discourse on ethical challenges in disaster management and provides actionable insights for improving training, policies, and organizational standards in the Middle East.