Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices of medical interns regarding disaster preparedness in a tertiary care hospital in Maharashtra, India

Background: More than 2.6 billion people have been impacted by natural disasters in the past ten years, including earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, cyclones, heat waves, floods, and extreme cold. These catastrophes result in large numbers of casualties, which might strain local medical facilities and during such times medical interns can be a crucial asset in managing the issues at the hospital. The aims of disaster preparedness in the hospital are to lower morbidity and mortality, quickly offer victims with medical support, and aid in a quick and complete recovery. The objectives of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical interns regarding disaster preparedness in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among medical interns from a tertiary care hospital in a metropolitan city between September and November 2022. Medical interns were interviewed using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire on disaster preparedness and non-probability volunteer’s opt-in sampling technique was adopted. Responses were entered and analysed in Microsoft Excel. Results: 180 interns responded to the questionnaire, majority of them exhibited some basic knowledge of disaster plan and preparedness in the hospital. Their awareness and attitude for the disaster plan were significantly positive. The practices regarding disaster preparedness training and performance of drills were largely negative. Conclusions: The study participants had an understanding of disaster preparedness and plans; however, they were lacking in knowledge regarding of their roles during drill. Practices regarding the disaster preparedness training and performance of drills were inadequate.