Are you Ready? Students’ Hurricane Preparedness Behaviors and Plans

Abstract

Abstract As many studies show that college students are ill-prepared for hurricanes, it is critical to further study how to engage college students to be better prepared. Our study examined this by answering one main research question "What encourages college students to take hurricane preparedness action?" A quantitative approach was used in this study's data collection and analysis, and 578 students from five universities and community colleges in Florida participated in our study. We designed an online questionnaire based on three main protective behaviors (preparing an emergency supply kit, an evacuation plan, and a communication plan) and six behavioral constructs (threat possibility, threat severity, self-efficacy, response efficacy, subjective social norms, and sense of responsibility). Based on our multi-linear and logistic regression models, risk perception had a statistically insignificant impact on students’ intentions to take hurricane protective behaviors. Similarly, responsibility had a statistically insignificant (or significant but weak) on students’ intention in the behavioral models. However, efficacy and social norms had the strongest impact on students' intentions in all models. By addressing specific hurricane preparedness behaviors, our fills a research gap and engages US college campuses to better understand and plan their emergency management with consideration for their students’ preparedness behaviors.