Preparedness of Affiliated Hospitals of Universities in North of Iran to Confront Disasters in the Year 2011

In case of disasters hospitals as one of the first centers to admit casualties need to be well prepared. This study aimed to determine the scale of preparedness of the hospitals located in the northern areas of Iran to deal with disasters. This applied and cross-sectional study was carried out in 2011. In this study all therapeutic-educational affiliated hospitals of Universities of Semnan, Shahroud, Mazandaran, Babol, and Guilan were investigated using the census method (53 hospitals). The data were collected using instruments were a manager's awareness Questionnaire (40 items) and a 141-item checklist which were filled using the self-assessment method. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software and Mann-Whitney, Kruskal Wallis and Pearson correlation coefficient statistical test. The average score of manager's awareness of the disaster confronting Preparedness status was 41.89±9.12 and hospital`s preparedness to confront disasters was 56.88±5.12 which show a mediocre level in all hospitals studied. There was a significant relationship (P=0.007) between the awareness of managers and receiving training on management of disasters. The least score was related to field of planning for decreasing structural risks (40.56±29.4).Significant relationships were observed between preparedness of hospitals in different universities and management plans for unanticipated events (P=0.047), hospital training program (P=0.019), planning for supporting vital services (P=0.005) and environmental health measures to deal with unanticipated events (P=0.001). Regarding the previous of disasters in the studied provinces and the mediocre preparedness of the hospitals, educational planning to confront disasters, strengthening the hospital buildings and organizing practical maneuvers will be effective in enhancing the preparation of the hospitals.