Communication preferences during the recovery phase of a hurricane disaster: Rural residents prefer face-to-face interaction.

Abstract

Objective: The recovery phase of the emergency management cycle is understudied. This research aimed to understand the communication preferences of rural residents with low literacy during the recovery phase of a hurricane and flooding disaster.

Methods: During October and November 2019, three focus groups (n = 32) were conducted with members of church congregations in three small townships in eastern North Carolina. Audio recordings were transcribed and coded for communication preferences and themes.

Results: Participants were primarily non-White (62 percent), over age 55 (78 percent), and a majority (70 percent) had completed high school or less education. The primary communication preference for the recovery phase was face-to-face. Television (TV) was seen as an approach to disseminate dates and times for local in-person meetings and provide phone numbers to speak with a "live" person. Social media was not a dominant communication preference. Themes that emerged included the following: (1) governmental response related to repairs and buyout following past hurricanes has been too slow; (2) the elderly and those with low literacy seek in-person attention in their towns; (3) residents feel "forgotten" because resources are concentrated in the county seat.

Conclusions: Rural residents prefer face-to-face communication in the recovery phase. Multiple approaches to communication may be most effective to distribute recovery phase opportunities.