A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Rural Primary Healthcare Professionals’ Capacity for Disaster Health Management Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ehmaidy Al Qaf’an (), Stewart Alford, Holly A. Mack, Ravneet Sekhon, Samuel Gray, Kiara Song, Katie Willson, Glynn Kelly and David Lim
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Ehmaidy Al Qaf’an: Centre for Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care Through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney 2007, Australia
Stewart Alford: Kaplan Business School, Kaplan Australia, Brisbane 4000, Australia
Holly A. Mack: Centre for Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care Through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney 2007, Australia
Ravneet Sekhon: Central and Eastern Sydney PHN, Sydney 1460, Australia
Samuel Gray: College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia
Kiara Song: College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia
Katie Willson: College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide 5042, Australia
Glynn Kelly: Medical School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
David Lim: Centre for Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care Through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney 2007, Australia

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Introduction: Rural areas face additional challenges in preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. This study aimed to understand how rural primary healthcare professionals (PHCPs) perceive their roles, involvement, and capacity in disaster health management. Methods: For this qualitative descriptive research, semi-structured interviews were carried out with convenience and purposive samples of rural PHCPs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Open, axial, and selective coding were employed to analyse the data inductively. Results: Five interviews were conducted before the pandemic, and ten interviews were conducted during the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. The themes identified were similar between the two periods. Rural PHCPs were underutilised due to a lack of awareness of their capacity and a lack of infrastructure and support for greater involvement. Conclusions: Rural PHCPs can be better integrated and supported in readiness for a whole-system response to future disasters. This study recommends empowering PHCPs in disaster management to promote the health and continuity of care in rural communities.

Keywords: disaster health management; rural health; general practitioners; COVID-19; primary healthcare (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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