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Older people's needs following major disasters: a qualitative study of Iranian elders' experiences of the Bam earthquake
- Authors:
- ARDALAN Ali, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 30(1), January 2010, pp.11-23.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This paper reports a qualitative study of the self-perceived needs of older people in the aftermath of the Bam earthquake in Iran in 2003. A total of 56 people aged from 65 to 88 years were recruited to the study using purposive sampling, including 29 men and 27 women. Six focus group discussions and ten semi-structured individual interviews were conducted. The analysis identified four major themes among the informants' concerns: inappropriate service delivery, affronts to dignity, feeling insecure and emotional distress. Disaster-prone areas need to be appropriately prepared with culturally sensitive plans to meet the needs of those who suffer from their effects, not least older people. For many older people in a disaster zone, customary forms of relief are neither required nor appropriate. Relief agencies need to be trained to be age-sensitive and should mainstream older people's rights in the planning and implementation of both the response and recovery phases of assistance.