Shrestha Salina, Malla Rabin, Shrestha Sadhana, Singh Pallavi, Sherchand Jeevan B
Center of Research for Environment, Energy and Water, Kathmandu Nepal.
Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 Sep 12;4(9):e0003475. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003475. eCollection 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the global economy affecting numerous people's livelihoods. Despite preventive behaviors and advancements of vaccination, the risk of infection still exists due to the emergence of new variants of concern and the changing behavior of the SARS CoV-2 virus. Therefore, preparedness measures are crucial for any emergency. In such situations, it is important to understand preparedness behavior at the household level, as it aids in reducing the risk of transmission and the severity of the disease before accessing any external support. Our study aimed to evaluate household preparedness level for emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship with socio-demographic characteristics among the general population of Nepal. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics, a Chi-square test, and logistic regression model were used for analysis. The study demonstrated that 59.2% had a good preparedness level. Good preparedness was observed among the respondents living in urban areas, those who were married, had white-collar occupations, high-education with graduate and above and high-income levels with monthly income >NPR 20,000, and were young-aged. The study findings underscore the need to develop tailored programs on preparedness prioritizing vulnerable population. It further highlights the importance of proper and consistent information flow, resources distribution, capacitating human resources and better health surveillance.
新冠疫情对全球经济产生了负面影响，影响了众多人的生计。尽管采取了预防措施并推进了疫苗接种，但由于出现了新的关注变种以及新冠病毒行为的变化，感染风险仍然存在。因此，防范措施对于任何紧急情况都至关重要。在这种情况下，了解家庭层面的防范行为很重要，因为这有助于在获得任何外部支持之前降低传播风险和疾病的严重程度。我们的研究旨在评估新冠疫情期间尼泊尔普通人群家庭的应急准备水平及其与社会人口特征的关系。数据通过问卷调查收集。使用描述性统计、卡方检验和逻辑回归模型进行分析。研究表明，59.2%的人有良好的准备水平。在城市地区居住、已婚、从事白领职业、受过高等教育（本科及以上）且月收入>20,000尼泊尔卢比的高收入以及年轻的受访者中观察到了良好的准备情况。研究结果强调了制定针对弱势群体的量身定制的防范计划的必要性。它进一步凸显了适当且一致的信息流、资源分配、人力资源能力建设以及更好的健康监测的重要性。
