TABLE 2—
Population Estimates (n = 1304) for Disaster Preparedness Indicators: Health and Retirement Study, United States, 2010
| Age Group, % |
Gender, % |
Race/Ethnicity, % |
|||||||
| Disaster Preparedness Indicator | Total No. (%) | 50–64 Years | 65–79 Years | ≥ 80 Years | Female | Male | White | Black | Other |
| 1. Has a smoke detector at home | 1155 (94.6) | 95.6 | 93.7 | 93.8 | 94.3 | 94.9 | 94.7 | 93.6 | 95.1 |
| 2. Has a smoke or fire detector that has been tested in the past year | 1005 (87.3) | 88.0 | 86.6 | 86.6 | 87.8 | 86.6 | 87.1 | 90.3 | 84.2 |
| 3. Participated or registered in disaster preparation program | 405 (34.3) | 39.2* | 31.3* | 26.3* | 37.1 | 31.2 | 34.4 | 33.6 | 34.1 |
| 4. Has an emergency evacuation plan | 281 (23.6) | 24.2 | 24.4 | 18.6 | 24.6 | 22.3 | 22.5 | 28.9 | 33.7 |
| 5. Knows specific location of a shelter in community | 517 (43.2) | 46.5* | 42.6* | 32.9* | 41.5 | 45.2 | 42.4 | 49.6 | 45.7 |
| 6. Uses medical devices that need electricity | 181 (14.2) | 14.6 | 14.3 | 12.3 | 13.8 | 14.6 | 14.0 | 14.6 | 18.1 |
| 7. Has a 3-d supply emergency kit | 771 (62.7) | 61.3 | 64.6 | 61.8 | 59.2** | 66.8** | 64.3*** | 51.9*** | 55.2*** |
| 8. Registered for disaster help | 142 (10.1) | 8.4 | 11.8 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 8.7*** | 19.9*** | 14.7*** |
| 9. Aware of programs or organizations that prepare for possibility of disasters | 277 (27.2) | 30.0 | 26.0 | 20.1 | 28.1 | 26.2 | 26.5 | 36.2 | 20.1 |
| 10. Able to receive communications (e.g., battery-operated radio) | 871 (71.0) | 71.9* | 72.8* | 61.7* | 69.2 | 73.1 | 71.2 | 70.8 | 66.0 |
| 11. Can perform immediate exit in case of emergency without help from another person | 1108 (91.5) | 92.8 | 91.0 | 88.4 | 91.1 | 92.0 | 91.9 | 88.0 | 92.0 |
| 12. Reason for slow exit is health or mobility limitation | 58 (49.9) | 25.1* | 63.5* | 76.0* | 53.6 | 45.3 | 46.9 | 69.8 | 47.7 |
| 13. Has multiple exits in case of blockage | 1177 (96.5) | 97.3 | 96.3 | 94.3 | 96.1 | 97.0 | 96.5 | 96.3 | 96.9 |
| 14. Knows people who live within 50 miles who could provide shelter and transportation in case of disaster | 1126 (92.4) | 93.3 | 91.5 | 91.5 | 92.4 | 92.3 | 93.1 | 89.7 | 81.8 |
| 15. A doctor or health professional discussed what to do in case of natural disaster | 72 (4.9) | 4.1 | 6.4 | 3.1 | 6.0 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 7.3 | 10.1 |
| 16. Has experience in helping others in the event of disasters | 424 (34.9) | 38.8* | 33.0* | 27.0* | 36.5 | 33.2 | 34.0 | 35.7 | 54.3 |
| 17. Hearing impairment prevents hearing warning sirens | 83 (6.7) | 5.1 | 6.7 | 12.7 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 10.3 |
| 18. Has natural gas used in place of residence | 696(57.5) | 58.8 | 56.8 | 54.8 | 57.0 | 58.0 | 56.6*** | 57.7*** | 76.6*** |
| 19. Has natural gas supply and knows how to turn it off | 454 (66.3) | 66.5* | 69.9* | 52.3* | 46.2** | 88.8** | 65.8 | 70.3 | 65.8 |
| 20. Household member(s) has a car and drives | 1124 (93.0) | 94.7* | 93.9* | 83.9* | 91.6 | 94.5 | 94.5*** | 83.2*** | 83.4*** |
| 21. Household member(s) doesn’t have a car but can secure transportation to evacuate in case of disaster | 74 (75.2) | 78.2 | 70.2 | 77.7 | 78.5 | 69.6 | 79.0 | 67.9 | 66.6 |
*P ≤ .05: deficit significantly increases as age increases; **P ≤ .05: deficit significantly different by gender; ***P ≤ .05: difference or deficit significantly different for the following items and ethnicity: item 7, Black vs White; item 8: Black vs White; item 18: Black vs other and White vs other; item 20: Black vs White and other vs White.