Disaster Preparedness Among Emergency Medical Services Worker in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Disasters are unexpected events that impose destructive consequences which can adversely overwhelm countries' healthcare response systems. Countries are required to prepare their healthcare workers for disaster response effectively. A greater level of preparedness is associated with a more effective response to disasters. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers are vital and essential to effective disaster response in Saudi Arabia. This research aims to examine the perception of knowledge, skills, and preparation for disaster preparedness among EMS workers in Saudi Arabia. It further seeks to explore the needs of EMS workers and perceived barriers and facilitators of disaster preparedness within this context. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed method design to examine disaster preparedness among EMS workers in Saudi Arabia. A descriptive cross-sectional survey using the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool (DPET) was distributed to EMS workers in military and government hospitals across three Saudi Arabian cities (Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam) in phase one of the study. This phase aimed to explore the perceived disaster knowledge, skills, and preparedness levels of EMS workers in Saudi Arabia. The findings from Phase One were used to inform phase two by providing direction for interview questions. Participants who expressed their interest in phase one were interviewed in phase two. This phase aimed to explore the facilitators, barriers, and cultural factors that affect disaster preparedness among EMS workers in Saudi Arabia. Two-hundred-and-eighty-seven EMS workers participated in this study. In phase one, participants reported moderate knowledge, skills, and preparedness levels for disasters. However, EMS workers were underprepared in certain areas of disaster preparedness, specifically a lack of isolation and decontamination skills during bioterrorist or biological attacks (CBRNE). Interview findings showed that three factors influenced their preparedness levels: personal preparedness, workplace preparedness, and socio-cultural influences. Participants reported difficulties in accessing workplace policies and procedures, a lack of standardisation in managing and implementing EMS regulations, and irregularity in providing drills and exercise regimes in Saudi Arabia. Results also highlighted the socio-cultural impact on disaster knowledge, skills, and preparedness of EMS workers. Prevailing social-cultural expectations in Saudi Arabia are biased against women. This results in a predominantly male and patriarchal structure within the EMS profession. Consequently, women in this study had fewer opportunities to enhance their knowledge, skills, and preparedness than their male EMS peers. This research was able to explore the perception of EMS workers’ disaster knowledge, skills and preparedness from a geographically and demographic representative sample of the Saudi Arabia EMS workforce. Important insights from the study could advance the EMS workforce and increase disaster preparedness. These include providing equitable, standardised, and inclusive education and training opportunities for all EMS workers in Saudi Arabia. In addition, local, postgraduate programs would further support Saudi Arabia’s disaster preparedness. Saudi Arabian workplaces will benefit from recruiting more female EMS workers and standardising staff rotation. This will empower EMS workers within all healthcare systems in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Association of Emergency Medical Services (SAEMS) should implement these changes and be provided with appropriate governance powers to regulate the profession.