TY - JOUR
T1 - Pandemic Readiness
T2 - Disparities Among New York City Residents Living in the Epicenter of the COVID-19 Outbreak
AU - Gunness, Harlem
AU - Jacob, Elsen
AU - Bhuiyan, Jennifer
AU - Hilas, Olga
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health.
PY - 2023/10/20
Y1 - 2023/10/20
N2 - Background: Queens County was identified as the epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in United States, representing a significant proportion of racial and ethnic minorities. As the pandemic surged and new variants emerged, one factor that has not been explored is the level of pandemic readiness (preparedness) in urban communities. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a survey to assess pandemic readiness among residents in Queens County, New York, which was disseminated online by means of elected officials. The survey included basic demographics, health status, essential supplies (such as food, water, and prescription medication), social support, spatial capacity, and access to COVID-19 health information. Results: A total of 306 participants completed the survey (59% response rate). Eighty-two percent of participants were not pandemic ready with only 11.4% at beginner-level and 7% advanced-level readiness. Beginner- and advanced-level readiness was more common among participants with college experience. Regarding employment, 85% of participants who were employed were not ready for the pandemic, compared with 68% of those who were not employed. More strikingly, over 60% of participants learned something new by completing the survey. Conclusions: This study adds to the existing literature on pandemic preparedness and highlights the need for greater outreach and education among racial and ethnic minorities.
AB - Background: Queens County was identified as the epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in United States, representing a significant proportion of racial and ethnic minorities. As the pandemic surged and new variants emerged, one factor that has not been explored is the level of pandemic readiness (preparedness) in urban communities. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a survey to assess pandemic readiness among residents in Queens County, New York, which was disseminated online by means of elected officials. The survey included basic demographics, health status, essential supplies (such as food, water, and prescription medication), social support, spatial capacity, and access to COVID-19 health information. Results: A total of 306 participants completed the survey (59% response rate). Eighty-two percent of participants were not pandemic ready with only 11.4% at beginner-level and 7% advanced-level readiness. Beginner- and advanced-level readiness was more common among participants with college experience. Regarding employment, 85% of participants who were employed were not ready for the pandemic, compared with 68% of those who were not employed. More strikingly, over 60% of participants learned something new by completing the survey. Conclusions: This study adds to the existing literature on pandemic preparedness and highlights the need for greater outreach and education among racial and ethnic minorities.
KW - Emergency Preparedness
KW - Needs Assessment
KW - Pandemics
KW - Public Health
KW - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85174864539
U2 - 10.1017/dmp.2023.175
DO - 10.1017/dmp.2023.175
M3 - Article
C2 - 37859421
AN - SCOPUS:85174864539
SN - 1935-7893
VL - 17
JO - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
JF - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
IS - 38
M1 - e513
ER -