Active participation of people with disabilities in disaster preparedness and contingency work: A systematic literature review on methods, outcomes, and challenges

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies must actively include people with disabilities (PWD) to ensure equitable and effective preparedness. Although awareness of disability inclusion in DRR is growing, the literature remains fragmented, and no prior structured literature review has focused specifically on participatory methods involving PWD. This review addresses that gap by identifying and synthesizing evidence on how PWD have been engaged in disaster preparedness and contingency planning. Following a structured process inspired by PRISMA and using the PICO framework, searches in Scopus and Web of Science yielded 720 articles, of which 20 peer-reviewed studies from 12 countries were included. The studies employed diverse participatory methods such as interviews, focus groups, co-design workshops, photovoice, and multi-stakeholder consultations. These approaches led to increased preparedness, empowerment, and leadership among PWD, while also strengthening community networks and collaboration with DRR personnel. However, challenges such as communication barriers, limited resources, and exclusion of marginalized groups were common. To conclude, this review offers the first comprehensive synthesis of participatory methods for disability-inclusive DRR, highlighting both their transformative potential and the need for more inclusive, tailored strategies in future research and practice. • This review explores disability inclusion in disaster risk reduction through participatory practices. • Identified benefits of inclusion include capacity building, empowerment and enhanced collaboration. • Communication barriers and resource constraints are significant barriers to effective inclusion in disaster risk reduction. • Exclusion of certain groups remain a critical challenge in achieving full disability inclusion in disaster risk reduction. • This review identifies a shortage of studies on disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction, emphasizing the need for further exploration in this area.