Developing Evidence-Based Training Program for Volunteers in Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

摘要

China is a country which severely affected with various natural hazards. Since Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, the number of volunteers increasing rapidly, however, there were still limited participations from citizens and lack of professional guidance and training. The available guidelineon education and training for disasters had only been provided to medical professionals, not included first responders. This study aims to identify the training needs and assess evidence-based public health disaster training program of volunteers in Guangxi, China. A multi-stage, mixed-methodapproach was used in this study. The first stage included a qualitative approach using telephone/Skype interview with the representatives of local NGOs. The result was used as a basis to develop the training. In the second stage, NGO members were invited to attend the training. Pre-and post-testwere conducted to assess the effectiveness of the training. In the last stage, online surveys were distributed among the participants to understand the individual’s training needs. Four NGOs were involved in the 1st stage interview. They emphasized that training should be aligned withthe organization’s vision. While in the 2nd stage, 31 NGO volunteers were participated in the first-aid training. The median score of pre-test was 8.04 (5–12); while the median score of post-test was 11.09 (9–14). Drowning and CPR, crush injuries management, and emergencybleeding control were the most relevant training topics for participants. This paper presented some issues related to the training development for NGO workers, especially in Chinese community. We highlighted that training needs should be aligned with the organization’s vision and mission,supported by the local government, and contextualized with the local values and customs.