References

Ahmed QA, Memish ZA. From the ‘madding crowd’ to mass gatherings—religion, sport, culture and public health. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2019; 28:91-97 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2018.06.001

Al-Shareef AS, Alsulimani LK, Bojan HM Evaluation of hospitals' disaster preparedness plans in the holy city of Makkah (Mecca): a cross-sectional observation study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017; 32:(1)33-45 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X16001229

Al-Wathinani A, Hertelendy AJ, Mobrad AM Emergency medical providers' knowledge regarding disasters during mass gatherings in Saudi Arabia. Sustainability. 2023; 13:(6) https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063342

Alzahrani F, Kyratsis Y. Emergency nurse disaster preparedness during mass gatherings: a cross-sectional survey of emergency nurses' perceptions in hospitals in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. BMJ Open. 2017; 7:(4) https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013563

Brinjee D, Al Thobaity A, Almalki M, Alahmari W. Identify the disaster nursing training and education needs for nurses in Taif City, Saudi Arabia. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021; 14:2301-2310 https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S312940

Campanale ER, Maragno M, Annese G Hospital preparedness for mass gathering events and mass casualty incidents in Matera, Italy, European Capital of Culture 2019. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2022; 48:(5)3831-3836 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-021-01775-0

Ciottone's Disaster Medicine, 3rd edn. In: Ciottone GR (ed). Philadelphia (PA): Elsevier—Health Sciences Division; 2023

Cutter SL, Burton CG, Emrich CT. Disaster resilience indicators for benchmarking baseline conditions. J Homeland Security Emerg Manag. 2010; 7:(1) https://doi.org/10.2202/1547-7355.1732

Falatah R, Almansour L, Alsolami A, Aljehani A, Al Dhubayban E, Walker RK. Transcultural nurses' caring for pilgrims for the first time during Hajj season in Saudi Arabia. J Relig Health. 2021; 60:(1)232-245 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01038-z

Ghazi Baker O. Preparedness assessment for managing disasters among nurses in an international setting: implications for nurses. Int Emerg Nurs. 2021; 56 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2021.100993

Hsu EB, Thomas TL, Bass EB, Whyne D, Kelen GD, Green GB. Healthcare worker competencies for disaster training. BMC Med Educ. 2006; 6:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-6-19

Johnston ANB, Wadham J, Polong-Brown J Health care provision during a sporting mass gathering: a structure and process description of on-site care delivery. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019; 34:(1)62-71 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X18001206

Joseph JK, Babu N, Dev KA, Pradeepkumar AP. Identification of potential health risks in mass gatherings: a study from Sabarimala pilgrimage, Kerala, India. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2016; 17:95-99 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2016.04.008

Karampourian A, Ghomian Z, Khorasani-Zavareh D. Qualitative study of health system preparedness for traumatic incidents in a religious mass gathering. Injury. 2019; 50:(5)1097-1104 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2018.12.015

Kocak H, Kinik K, Caliskan C, Aciksari K. The science of disaster medicine: from response to risk reduction. Medeni Med J. 2021; 36:(4)333-342 https://doi.org/10.4274/MMJ.galenos.2021.50375

Koski A, Kouvonen A, Sumanen H. Preparedness for mass gatherings: factors to consider according to the rescue authorities. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17:(4) https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041361

Koski A, Kouvonen A, Nordquist H. Preparedness for mass gatherings: planning elements identified through the Delphi process. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2021; 61 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102368

Lund A, Gutman SJ, Turris SA. Mass gathering medicine: a practical means of enhancing disaster preparedness in Canada. CJEM. 2011; 13:(4)231-236 https://doi.org/10.2310/8000.2011.110305

Memish ZA, Steffen R, White P Mass gatherings medicine: public health issues arising from mass gathering religious and sporting events. Lancet. 2019; 393:(10185)2073-2084 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30501-X

Mobrad A, Almorairi HM, Khan AA, Al-Wathinani A, Alotaibi R. Perception and attitude of medical staff in the Saudi Red Crescent Authority toward their preparedness for disaster management and response. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2022; 16:(4)1580-1586 https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2021.101

Murphy JP, Kurland L, Rådestad M, Magnusson S, Ringqvist T, Rüter A. Emergency department registered nurses overestimate their disaster competency: a cross-sectional study. Int Emerg Nurs. 2021; 58 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2021.101019

Nofal A, Alfayyad I, Khan A, Al Aseri Z, Abu-Shaheen A. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of emergency department staff towards disaster and emergency preparedness at tertiary health care hospital in central Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J. 2018; 39:(11)1123-1129 https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2018.11.23026

Peters M, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Munn Z, Trico A, Khalil H. Chapter 11: scoping reviews. JBI manual for evidence synthesis. 2020; https://doi.org/10.46658/JBIMES-20-12

Rossodivita A, Rizzardini G, Gismondo MR EXPO 2015 The Italian experience. Integrative risk management - Towards resilient cities. Davos, Switzerland. 2016; 536-540

Sultan MAS, Khorram-Manesh A, Carlström E, Sørensen JL, Sulayyim HJA, Taube F. 2020a. Nurses' readiness for emergencies and public health challenges—the case of Saudi Arabia. Sustainability. 2020a; 12:(19) https://doi.org/10.3390/su12197874

Sultan MAS, Løwe Sørensen J, Carlström E, Mortelmans L, Khorram-Manesh A. Emergency healthcare providers' perceptions of preparedness and willingness to work during disasters and public health emergencies. Healthcare (Basel). 2020b; 8:(4) https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8040442

Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018; 169:(7)467-473 https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850

World Health Organization. Public health for mass gatherings: Key considerations. 2015. https//tinyurl.com/y4yrr53b (accessed 14 October 2023)

World Health Organization. Health emergency and disaster risk management: Mass gatherings. 2017. https//tinyurl.com/mvjeyujs (accessed 14 October 2023)

World Meteorological Organization. Weather-related disasters increase over past 50 years, causing more damage but fewer deaths. 2021. https//tinyurl.com/4wctreku (accessed 14 October 2023)

Yassine F, Bou Karroum S, Amine R Medicine in unplanned mass gatherings: a qualitative study of health-care providers' response and recommendations to Beirut's protests. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2022; 16:(4)1532-1536 https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2021.150

Zibulewsky J. Defining disaster: the emergency department perspective. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2001; 14:(2)144-149 https://doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2001.11927751

service evaluation

Disaster preparedness of health professionals at mass gatherings: a scoping review

02 November 2023
Features
02 November 2023
Volume 15 · Issue 11

Abstract

Mass gathering disasters involving large numbers of casualties can adversely affect the performance of healthcare systems. This scoping review aims to explore the current literature on the preparedness of health professionals for disasters during mass gathering events. Four databases were searched to identify papers examining health professionals' disaster preparedness during mass gatherings between 2011 and 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews was applied to undertake this review. A total of 2024 articles were identified, of which 18 qualified for inclusion in the scoping review. Some studies reported the level of professionals' preparedness for disaster management, while others reported strategies to enhance preparedness and challenges associated with disaster preparedness during mass gatherings. More studies are needed in this field to better understand the level of disaster preparedness of health professionals to improve response and management of potential disasters during mass gathering events.

In recent years, disaster preparation has become a growing area of research owing to the increasing incidence of disasters and the need to maintain health service provision in such situations (Kocak et al, 2021; Ciottone, 2023). According to the World Meteorological Organization (2021), weather-related disasters have increased fivefold over the past 50 years and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction projects that the 350–500 medium-to-large scale disasters occurring every year over the past five decades will rise to 560 by 2030 as a result of increasing human activity and behaviour changes such as agricultural practices, deforestation and land use change, fossil fuels for energy, transportation, and industry (World Health Organization (WHO), 2017). The impact of the increasing number of disasters potentially will place a higher burden on healthcare systems.

Subscribe to get full access to the Journal of Paramedic Practice

Thank you for visiting the Journal of Paramedic Practice and reading our archive of expert clinical content. If you would like to read more from the only journal dedicated to those working in emergency care, you can start your subscription today for just £48.

What's included

  • CPD Focus

  • Develop your career

  • Stay informed

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address

Disaster preparedness
Health professionals
Mass gathering events
Paramedicine
Emergency medical services