Assessing the self-efficacy of village clerks for dealing with disasters triggered by natural hazards and public health emergencies in Taiwan

Village clerks are responsible for providing first aid at the community level during natural hazards and public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is very challenging for a village clerk to fully understand the requirements related to disaster preparedness, response and recovery that must be dealt with in both problems. In this study, an evaluation framework was developed to assess and compare the self-efficacy of village clerks in managing disasters triggered by natural hazards and public health emergencies in Taiwan. A survey was conducted with 181 participants with different personal backgrounds and a diversity of experiences with disasters. Compared with public health emergencies, village clerks exhibited more eagerness for knowledge as well as a higher degree of comprehension and confidence in carrying out their duties in the face of natural hazards. A correlation analysis showed that age, years of service, vocational education, and experience were significant to the village clerks' self-efficacy, but the significance levels varied with the type of disaster. A regression analysis further revealed that undergoing adequate vocational training was the key factor behind the village clerks’ better self-efficacy at dealing with disasters triggered by natural hazards. Based on this finding, we recommend that on-the-job training for dealing with public health emergencies should be as diversified as it is in the case of natural hazards. For village clerks, the exchange of experience and logistics will be beneficial in order to reduce the gap in managing disasters triggered by natural hazards and public health emergencies.