Significance of Improving Information Literacy in Disaster Medical Support: Lessons From the 2024 Noto Earthquake

Summary: The Noto Earthquake Disaster, with a magnitude of 7.6, struck the peninsula region of Japan on January 1, 2024, leading to 245 fatalities in the sparsely populated area. This disaster highlighted the critical role of information literacy in disaster medical support. The Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) encountered cases demonstrating the need for information assessment and response adaptation based on facility characteristics and evolving situations. For instance, medical staff at Hospital A remarked that the view from the hospital windows appeared to be changing. At first, the meaning of this non-technical message was not fully understood. However, this message later proved significant, indicating ongoing structural collapse due to repeated earthquakes. Consequently, the DMATs immediately arranged an urgent patient transfer to safer facilities, avoiding potential casualties. At Facility B, despite adequate medical supplies, persistent disaster-related deaths were reported. Precise investigations revealed that a severe shortage of healthcare providers and overwhelming fatigue prevent healthcare providers from effectively using these supplies. In response, the DMATs continuously provided nursing support, enabling more effective care. These cases may emphasize the importance of information literacy in disaster medicine. Rather than solely relying on standardized data collection, DMATs need to adapt information collection methods to the individual context of each facility’s characteristics and changing medical demands. Analyzing and interpreting diverse types of information could be important for timely, effective interventions. In conclusion, enhancing information literacy among DMATs is important to ensure that information collection, interpretation, and application are consistent with institutional demands, which could ultimately improve patient outcomes in disaster settings.