Perceived disaster-response self-efficacy among emergency medicine residents

Abstract

Background Emergency medicine (EM) residents play a frontline role in disaster and mass-casualty incident (MCI) response; however, few studies have examined their perceived self-efficacy and familiarity with key disaster-management protocols. This study evaluated whether a structured four-week course could enhance EM residents' self-efficacy, disaster knowledge, and preparedness. Specifically, we asked: (1) Does a structured disaster-medicine course improve EM residents' perceived self-efficacy in disaster response? and (2) Does it improve their knowledge of core preparedness concepts? We hypothesized that the course would yield a significant increase in self-efficacy and at least a 10% improvement in knowledge. Methods A single-center pre-test/post-test intervention was conducted among 30 EM residents enrolled in a four-week disaster-management course structured using the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) framework. The course integrated didactic sessions, online lectures by international faculty, and scenario-based tabletop exercises simulating MCI decision-making under time pressure. A validated questionnaire, adapted from the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire, assessed self-efficacy, knowledge, and familiarity with hospital protocols before and after the course. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t -tests, and correlation analyses in IBM SPSS (Version 21.0) Results Among the 30 participants (76.7% female), most were in their first or second postgraduate year. Baseline self-efficacy was low (mean = 2.4/5) but improved significantly post-course (mean = 3.6; p < 0.001). Participants demonstrated notable gains in knowledge of the Hospital Incident Command System, surge management, and disaster-plan activation triggers. While triage accuracy remained high (94.9% → 95.2%; p = 0.88), mean cycle time improved from 6.9 to 3.2 min—a nearly 50% reduction that, although not statistically significant ( p = 0.08), represents an operationally meaningful improvement. Conclusions A focused, simulation-enhanced disaster management course significantly improved EM residents' perceived self-efficacy and familiarity with critical disaster protocols. These findings support integrating structured disaster-medicine curricula into residency programs and justify longitudinal follow-up to evaluate knowledge retention and real-world performance.

Affiliated Institutions

• Vrije Universiteit Brussel BE
• Dubai Health Authority AE

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