Closing the Gender Gap in Natural Hazards Education for Young Adults

摘要

Different people react differently to disasters, hazards, and risks depending on how they view those risks. Various factors can influence these risk perceptions, including demographic characteristics, such as gender and previous experience. Disaster education (DE) has been identified as a method to positively influence risk perception and reduce disaster vulnerability and impacts at various scales. Gender has been identified as an influencing factor on risk perception and educational outcomes in STEM subjects in previous studies, but the role gender plays in a formal DE program has not previously been evaluated. This study utilizes a formal online DE curriculum program to evaluate genders’ role in young adults’ knowledge and risk perceptions of natural hazards before and after DE curriculum completion. Statistical analysis t-tests indicated that women scored significantly lower than men in individual and total module pre-tests. However, this gender gap was closed in total module post-scores. Women overall had consistently higher risk perceptions according to both t-tests (p < 0.05) and regression models, but both genders had increased risk perceptions (p < 0.05) and overall program scores at the end of the course (p < 0.001). Women also started and ended the course with greater feelings of fear than men (p < 0.05), whereas men felt more knowledgeable about hazards than women (p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences between the two genders were identified for pre-curriculum scores, and gender had a strong, consistent influence on risk perception. Women were also found to have higher risk perceptions before and after the course, but both genders experienced an increase in risk perception scores. The DE course increased awareness and closed the knowledge gap between genders.