Use of TETRA personal radios and sickness absence in the Airwave Health Monitoring Study of the British police forces.

BACKGROUND: Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is used for radiocommunications among the British police forces. OBJECTIVES: To investigate association of personal radio use and sickness absence among police officers and staff from the Airwave Health Monitoring Study. METHODS: Participant-level sickness absence records for 26 forces were linked with personal radio use for 32,102 participants. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyse TETRA usage in year prior to enrolment and sickness absence (lasting more than 7 or 28 consecutive days) in the following year and a zero-inflated negative binomial model for analyses of number of sickness absence episodes of any duration ('spells') over the same period. In secondary analyses, we looked at an extended period of observation among a sub-cohort with linked data over time, using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Median personal radio use (year prior to enrolment) was 29.7 min per month (interquartile range 7.5, 64.7) among users. In the year following enrolment there were 25,655 sickness absence spells among 15,248 participants. There were similar risks of sickness absence lasting more than seven days among users and non-users, although among users risk was higher with greater use, odds ratio = 1.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02 to 1.06) per doubling of radio use. There was no association for sickness absence of more than 28 days. For sickness absence spells, risk was lower among users than non-users (incidence rate ratio = 0.91; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.11), again with higher risk among users for greater radio use. There was no association between radio use and sickness absence in secondary analyses. DISCUSSION: There were similar or lower risks of sickness absence in TETRA radio users compared with non-users. Among users, the higher risk of sickness absence with greater radio use may reflect working pattern differences among police personnel rather than effects of radiofrequency exposure.

Distracting and risky behaviours while cycling: a comparison of group and non-group riders in Western Australia.

BACKGROUND: Use of mobile phones and portable audio equipment and alcohol are known to negatively affect cycling ability. Evidence suggests that cyclists may be less likely to engage in these behaviours while riding in a group; however, it is unknown whether group riders are also at reduced risk when participating in non-group riding. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between group riding participation and the use of mobile phones and portable audio equipment and alcohol while non-group riding in Perth, Western Australia. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of an online questionnaire was undertaken. Group and exclusive non-group riders were compared and separate binary logistic regression models were used to examine the association between group riding participation and the use of mobile phones and portable audio equipment and alcohol while non-group riding, controlling for gender, age, education and frequency of non-group riding. RESULTS: Participants included 365 cyclists: 187 exclusive non-group riders (51.2%) and 178 group riders (48.8%). Group riders were less likely to have possibly cycled while over the legal blood alcohol limit in the past 12 months (OR: 0.56, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.92) and were less likely to ever use portable audio equipment (OR: 0.57, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.94) than exclusive non-group riders, while participating in non-group riding. Group riding status was not associated with mobile phone use. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides early evidence that there may be differences between group and non-group riders that impact on their safety behaviours while participating in non-group riding.

Ethnicity, education attainment, media exposure, and prenatal care in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: Prenatal care coverage in Vietnam has been improving, but ethnic minority women still lag behind in receiving adequate level and type of care. This paper examines ethnic disparities in prenatal care utilization by comparing two groups of ethnic minority and majority women. DESIGN: We examine the roots of ethnic disparity in prenatal care utilization, focusing on how education and media exposure change health behaviours and lessen disparities. We rely on the 2002 Vietnam Demographic and Health Survey to draw our sample, predictors and the three dimensions of prenatal care, including timing of onset, frequency of visits, and type of provider. RESULTS: Results from multinomial-, and binary-logistic regression provide evidence that ethnic minority women are less likely to obtain frequent prenatal care and seek care from professional providers than their majority counterparts. However, we find that ethnic minority women are more likely to obtain early care compared to ethnic majority women. Results for predicted probabilities suggest that education and media exposure positively influenced prenatal care behaviours with higher level of education and media exposure associating with accelerated probability of meeting prenatal care requirements. CONCLUSION: Our results imply the needs for expansion of media access and schools as well as positive health messages being broadcasted in culturally competent ways.

Validation of objective records and misreporting of personal radio use in a cohort of British Police forces (the Airwave Health Monitoring Study).

BACKGROUND: Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is a digital communication system progressively adopted by Police Forces in Great Britain since 2001. In 2000, the UK Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones suggested that exposure to TETRA-like signal modulation might have adverse effects on health. The Airwave Health Monitoring Study was established to investigate possible long-term effects of TETRA use on health. This requires estimation of TETRA use among Police Force employees participating in the study. METHODS: We investigated TETRA usage among 42,112 Police officers and staff. An algorithm was created to link each personal radio user to his/her objective radio usage records for the 26,035 participants with available data. We linked 16,577 personal radio users to their objective radio usage records and compared self-reported usage with data from the TETRA operator for those individuals. RESULTS: For weekly usage, the correlation between self-reported and operator-derived personal radio usage was r=0.69 for number and r=0.59 for the duration of calls. Compared with objective data, participants under-reported the number of calls and over-reported the duration of calls by a factor of around 4 and 1.6 respectively. Correlations were lower and bias higher when looking at daily usage. CONCLUSION: Where both objective and self-reported information were available, our study showed substantial misreporting in self-reported TETRA usage. Successful linkage of large numbers of TETRA users to objective data on their personal radios will allow objective assessment of TETRA radio usage for these participants and development of algorithms to correct bias in self-reported data for the remainder.

Pink Ribbons and Red Dresses: A Mixed Methods Content Analysis of Media Coverage of Breast Cancer and Heart Disease.

This research examined media coverage of breast cancer (n = 145) and heart disease and stroke (n = 39) news articles, videos, advertisements, and images in a local Canadian context through quantitative and thematic content analyses. Quantitative analysis revealed significant differences between coverage of the diseases in placement, survivors as a source of information, health agency, human interest stories, citation of a research study, the inclusion of risk statistics, discussion of preventative behaviors, and tone used. The thematic analysis revealed themes that characterized a "typical" breast cancer survivor and indicated that "good" citizens and businesses should help the cause of breast cancer. Themes for heart disease and stroke articulated individual responsibility and the ways fundraising reinforced femininity and privilege. Findings provide insight on how these diseases are framed in local Canadian media, which might impact an individual's understanding of the disease.

The rise of digital direct-to-consumer advertising?: Comparison of direct-to-consumer advertising expenditure trends from publicly available data sources and global policy implications.

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical marketing is undergoing a major shift in the United States, in part due to new transparency regulations under the healthcare reform act. Changes in pharmaceutical marketing practices include a possible shift from more traditional forms of direct-to-consumer advertising towards emerging use of Internet-based DTCA ("eDTCA") given the growing importance of digital health or "eHealth." Though legally allowed only in the U.S. and New Zealand, eDTCA poses novel regulatory challenges, as it can cross geopolitical boundaries and impact health systems and populations outside of these countries. METHODS: We wished to assess whether changes in DTCA and eDTCA expenditure trends was occurring using publicly available pharmaceutical marketing data. DTCA data was analyzed to compare trends in aggregate marketing expenditures and to assess if there were statistically significant differences in trends and magnitudes for data sources and DTCA sub-categories (including eDTCA). This was accomplished using regression lines of DTCA trend data and conducting pairwise comparisons of regression coefficients using t-tests. Means testing was utilized for comparing magnitude of DTCA expenditure. RESULTS: Data from multiple data sources indicate that aggregate DTCA expenditures have slightly declined during the period from 2005-2009 and are consistent with results from other studies. For DTCA sub-categories, television remained the most utilized form of DTCA, though experienced trends of declining expenditures (-13.2 %) similar to other traditional media platforms such as radio (-30.7 %) and outdoor ads (-12.1 %). The only DTCA sub-category that experienced substantial increased expenditures was eDTCA (+109.0 %) and it was the only medium that had statistically significant differences in its marketing expenditure trends compared to other DTCA sub-categories. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that traditional DTCA marketing may be on the decline. Conversely, the only DTCA sub-category that experienced significant increases was eDTCA. However, to fully understand this possible shift to "digital" DTCA, improvements in publicly available DTCA data sources are necessary to confirm changing trends and validate existing data. Hence, utilizing the newly implemented U.S. physician-payment expenditure transparency requirements, we advocate for the mandatory disclosure of DTCA/eDTCA in order to inform future domestic and international health policy efforts regarding appropriate regulation of pharmaceutical promotion.

Seeking Information on Behalf of Others: An Analysis of Calls to a Spanish-Language Radio Health Program.

OBJECTIVE: Spanish-monolingual Latinos account for 13% of U.S. residents and experience multiple barriers to effective health communication. Information intermediaries/proxies mediate between the linguistically isolated and health care providers. This study characterizes the information needs of surrogate callers and their subjects to a U.S.-based Spanish-language radio health program. METHOD: Content analysis of calls placed (N = 281 calls). RESULTS: Women made 70% of calls; 39.1% of calls were on behalf of children, 11.0% on behalf of parents/older adults, and 18.5% on behalf of spouses/siblings/contemporary adults. Most common topics were disease symptoms/conditions (19.6%), cancer (13.9%), and reproduction/sexuality (12.9%). Calls for children were more likely than those for parents/other adults to pertain to current illness symptoms or conditions; calls for parents were more likely to be about cancer/chronic conditions. Half of all calls sought clarification about a previous medical encounter. CONCLUSION: Information-seeking surrogates may represent a useful strategy for linguistic minorities to overcome structural and individual barriers to health information access. Results suggest that Latinos are willing to seek information on behalf of friends and family and highlight the need for improved, culturally and linguistically appropriate health communication sources. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Leveraging Latinos' natural familial social networks/willingness to share information may improve dissemination of culturally and linguistically appropriate health information. Further implications for patient activation and doctor-patient communication are discussed.

Electromagnetic interference from electronic devices used in the management of type 1 diabetes can impair the performance of an avalanche transceiver in search mode.

OBJECTIVE: Portable electronic devices play an important role in the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Electromagnetic interference from electronic devices has been shown to impair the function of an avalanche transceiver in search mode (but not in transmitting mode). This study investigates the influence of electromagnetic interference from diabetes devices on a searching avalanche beacon. METHODS: The greatest distance at which an avalanche transceiver (in search mode) could accurately indicate the location of a transmitting transceiver was assessed when portable electronic devices (including an insulin pump and commonly used real-time continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring system [rtCGMS]) were held in close proximity to each transceiver. RESULTS: The searching transceiver could accurately locate a transmitted signal at a distance of 30 m when used alone. This distance was unchanged by the Dexcom G4 rtCGMS, but was reduced to 10 m when the Medtronic Guardian rtCGMS was held close (within 30 cm) to the receiving beacon. Interference from the Animas Vibe insulin pump reduced this distance to 5 m, impairing the searching transceiver in a manner identical to the effect of a cell phone. CONCLUSIONS: Electromagnetic interference produced by some diabetes devices when held within 30 cm of a searching avalanche transceiver can impair the ability to locate a signal. Such interference could significantly compromise the outcome of a companion rescue scenario. Further investigation using other pumps and rtCGMS devices is required to evaluate all available diabetes electronics. Meantime, all electronic diabetes devices including rtCGMS and insulin pumps should not be used within 30 cm of an avalanche transceiver.

Australian health professions student use of social media.

Increased bandwidth, broadband network availability and improved functionality have enhanced the accessibility and attractiveness of social media. The use of the Internet by higher education students has markedly increased. Social media are already used widely across the health sector but little is currently known of the use of social media by health profession students in Australia. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to explore health profession students' use of social media and their media preferences for sourcing information. An electronic survey was made available to health profession students at ten participating universities across most Australian states and territories. Respondents were 637 first year students and 451 final year students. The results for first and final year health profession students indicate that online media is the preferred source of information with only 20% of students nominating traditional peer-reviewed journals as a preferred information source. In addition, the results indicate that Facebook usage was high among all students while use of other types of social media such as Twitter remains comparatively low. As health profession students engage regularly with social media, and this use is likely to grow rather than diminish, educational institutions are challenged to consider the use of social media as a validated platform for learning and teaching.

Electromagnetic interference of avalanche transceivers with cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

BACKGROUND: Avalanche transceivers are essentials tools in locating persons who were buried by an avalanche. In the past few years, avalanche transceivers have become widely available and affordable, but it is largely unknown whether they are a source of electromagnetic interference for implanted cardiac devices. We aimed to determine the potential interaction between avalanche transceivers and pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). METHODS: One hundred and one patients, 41 with pacemakers and 60 with ICDs, were enrolled (mean age 66 ± 15 years). Four avalanche transceivers (Pieps DSP [Pieps GmbH, Lebring, Austria], Ortovox x1, Ortovox m2, and Ortovox f1 [Otovox Sportartikel GmbH, Taufkirchen, Germany]) were evaluated in transmit as well as in receive mode. Surface electrocardiograms, intracardiac electrograms, and marker channels were continuously recorded and observed by an experienced physician. Electromagnetic interference events were categorized as direct interference with the function of the implanted device itself or as interference with the telemetric communication without compromising device function. RESULTS: Among all patients, there was no interference with the intrinsic function of their pacemakers or ICDs. A total of 120 episodes of telemetry interference occurred in 48% of the patients. Of those episodes, 112 of 404 (28%) were observed in transmit and eight of 404 (2%) in receive mode (P < 0.0001). The digital avalanche transceiver (Pieps DSP) was associated with significantly less telemetry interference (20/202; 10%) than the analog transceiver (Ortovox f1) (39/202; 19%) (P = 0.0108). CONCLUSIONS: Avalanche transceivers are safe for patients with pacemakers and ICDs. Despite the observed telemetry interferences, the intrinsic function of the implanted devices was never compromised.

Trusted information sources used during and after Superstorm Sandy: TV and radio were used more often than social media.

Health and safety professionals and the public are interested in the best methods of providing timely information about disasters. The objective of this study was to examine information sources used for Superstorm Sandy with respect to the storm, evacuation routes, shelters, safety, and health issues. Respondents in central New Jersey and Jersey shore communities were differentially impacted by the storm. Jersey shore respondents had higher evacuation rates (47% vs. 13%), higher flood waters in homes, longer power outages (average 23 vs. 6 d), and longer periods without Internet (29 vs. 6 d). Electricity outages disrupted both sources and receivers of communication. Both groups obtained most of their information regarding safety from television, radio, friends, and Web/e-mail. Information sources on health varied by location, with central Jersey respondents using mainly TV and the Web, and Jersey shore respondents obtaining health information from the radio and TV (before the storm). For information on evacuation routes, Jersey shore respondents obtained information from many sources, while central Jersey respondents obtained it from TV. Information on mold was largely obtained from friends and the Web, since mold issues were dealt with several weeks after Sandy. The reliance on traditional sources of information (TV, radio, friends) found in this study suggests that the extreme power outages rendered Web, cell phones, and social media on cell phones less usable, and suggests the need for an integrated communication strategy with redundancies that takes into account prolonged power outages over large geographical areas.

A single institution's 1-year experience with uterine fibroid embolization marketing.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of various marketing techniques on the referral pattern for uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) at an academic interventional radiology practice over a 1-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All referrals to the interventional radiology clinic for UFE from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009, were retrospectively reviewed. A standard intake sheet was completed by the interventional clinic secretary at the time of initial patient contact that included the source of the referral (radio, television, newspaper, mailing, Internet, physician, friend, other). All patients who proceeded to consultation were seen in the interventional radiology clinic by attending interventional radiologists in a university-based academic center. The referral pattern was analyzed with respect to the number of patients who contacted the clinic, the number of actual clinic visits, the number of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging examinations performed before and after the procedure, the total number of embolization cases performed, and the subsequent downstream revenue. RESULTS: During the 1-year period, 344 patients contacted the interventional radiology clinic regarding UFE resulting in 171 consultations and 100 pelvic MR imaging examinations performed before the procedure. Sixty-two patients proceeded to UFE, and 32 patients underwent follow-up pelvic MR imaging. These results show a significant increase from eight cases the previous year and are presumably attributable almost entirely to the directed marketing campaign. The marketing initiative consisted primarily of print and radio advertisements, with the latter being the most effective. The total advertising cost for the year was approximately $24,706, of which $20,520 was for radio advertisements. The radio advertisements generated 69% (237 of 344) of the referrals and 69% (43 of 62) of the UFE procedures. Using Medicare reimbursement rates, the radio advertisements generated $281,994 in UFE technical fees and $50,329 in MR imaging technical fees. CONCLUSIONS: Direct patient marketing techniques can promote significant growth for a fibroid embolization practice. In our market, radio advertisements proved to be the most cost-effective strategy.

Radio campaign to promote quality use of medicines among Italian, Mandarin and Cantonese speaking seniors in Australia.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a radio campaign in promoting the quality use of medicine (QUM) among Italian, Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking seniors. METHODS: One hundred and eight six in-language radio advertisement spots and nine interviews were broadcasted during eight ethnic language radios programs in September and October 2008. Immediately before and after the campaign, telephone interviews were conducted with 1,200 (600 before and 600 after) randomly selected Italian, Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking seniors aged 50 or older. RESULTS: Awareness of QUM was increased by 6%.The mean number of correct answers regarding QUM increased from 5.2 before the campaign to 5.7 after the campaign (p<0.001). The proportion of people who had correct answers to six or more questions (out of nine) increased by 12% (p<0.001). The increase was largest among the Cantonese-speaking seniors (27%), followed by the Mandarin (8%) and Italian seniors (4%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The radio campaign was effective in increasing awareness and knowledge of QUM among seniors. However, the effectiveness of the campaign varied between language groups.

Associations Between Migration Background and Media and Information Behavior in Primary School Children.

BACKGROUND: Children with migration background and from low socio-economic status are at higher risk for overweight. To determine appropriate media channels to possibly reach children with targeted health information, it has to be considered that the media and information behavior of children has changed during the last decades. OBJECTIVE: We examined the media and information behavior of children in low socio-economic districts, focusing on those with migration background. METHODS: Fourteen 3rd grade classes (n=250 children, 68.0% with migration background) completed a questionnaire regarding their media consumption, which was based on existing validated surveys. RESULTS: ≥ 50% of the children watched TV and around 40% used both mobile phones and computers/tablets/internet for ≥1 h/day. Books were the most popular analogue media (61.6% of children), whereas magazines/newspapers and radio (18.4 and 16.0% of children, respectively) were used less frequently. Furthermore, they regularly used internet, TV and their teachers (63.0, 48.8 and 44.8% of children, respectively) as information source. Especially children with compared to those without migration background less likely used the radio (P=0.0002) and their family as information source (P=0.0017). CONCLUSIONS: Children attending 3rd grade class, especially with migration background, can be addressed through digital media rather than the radio. This may help to sustainably support children outside school with targeted health information.

Investigating health information needs of community radio stations and applying the World Wide Web to disseminate audio products.

The Web and Media Technologies Platform (WMTP) of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) conducted a pilot project amongst community radio stations in South Africa. Based on previous research done in Africa WMTP investigated the following research question: How reliable is the content of health information broadcast by community radio stations? The main objectives of the project were to determine the 1) intervals of health slots on community radio stations, 2) sources used by community radio stations for health slots, 3) type of audio products needed for health slots, and 4) to develop a user friendly Web site in response to the stations' needs for easy access to audio material on health information.

Information and communication technology used by people with lower limb loss in Slovenia.

World demography is changing as the population ages and there are more people with disabilities having problems to stay independently at home. Innovative technologies could help extend the independence of older people living at home. As part of a collaborative project, we investigated ownership and use of information and communication technologies (ICT) among older people with lower limb loss (LLL) using questionnaires and retrospective analysis. Our aim was to analyse factors associated with ICT use among people with LLL. We identified age as the main factor that limits ownership and use of ICT among older people with LLL in Slovenia. Cause of amputation also appears to be relevant, whereby those who had amputation because of peripheral vascular disease are more likely to use a personal or tablet computer, social networks, messaging apps, email and internet than those who had amputation because of diabetes. In addition, those living in the suburbs are more likely to use a health monitoring device than those living in the countryside.

Determinants of exposure to mass media family planning messages among indigenous people in Bangladesh: a study on the Garo.

This paper evaluates exposure to mass media family planning (FP) messages among the Garo, an indigenous community in Bangladesh. A sample of 223 currently married Garo women were selected purposively from two districts where most of the Garo population live. The analysis demonstrated that television was the most significant form of mass media to disseminate FP messages among the recipients - more so than radio and newspapers. About 80.6% of the respondents had heard of FP messages through television, while for the radio and newspapers the percentages were 55.3% and 22.7% respectively. The contraceptive prevalence rate is much higher (79.5%) in the study area than the national level (55.8%). A linear logistic regression model was employed to identify the confluence of different demographic and socioeconomic characteristics on mass media FP messages. Regarding exposure to FP messages, four independent variables out of six had significant effects on the exposure to FP messages through any one of the types of media, i.e. radio, television and newspapers. These independent variables were age, level of education, occupation and number of children.

Mobile Phone Based Strategies for Preconception Education in Rural Africa.

BACKGROUND: Prepregnancy health care is vital to alleviate and prevent maternal and neonatal disability and death. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to measure the levels of knowledge and attitude on preconception care and their determinants among women who delivered at government hospitals in a rural setting in southern Ethiopia. METHOD: A facility-based cross sectional study was done from January 01 to February 30, 2017 on a sample of 370 women who delivered at government hospitals in Wolayita zone. The mothers were selected using systematic random sampling technique. The data were collected using structured and pretested interviewer administered questionnaires at the postnatal ward of each hospital. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariable techniques. RESULTS: The result showed that 53% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 47.8%, 58.1%) of mothers who delivered at public hospitals had adequate level of knowledge on preconception care, whereas 54.3% (95% CI: 49.2%, 59.5%) possessed positive attitude to preconception care. Mothers who have radio, planned pregnancy and have participated in community meetings related to preconception care had a meaningfully higher odds of good level of knowledge to preconception care. Ordinal regression showed that women who own mobile phone had at least three times significantly higher odds of positive attitude to preconception care, whereas women who have participated community meetings had lower odds of positive attitude on preconception care. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that the levels of mothers' knowledge and positive attitude on preconception care are low relative to other studies. Using transistor radio and mobile phone have significant effect in improving the knowledge and attitude of reproductive age women on preconception care. Hence, providing community health education based on radio and/or mobile phone messaging could be useful in positively influencing the knowledge and attitude of women on preconception care.

Quality of Service Class Identifier (QCI) radio resource allocation algorithm for LTE downlink.

The increasing demand for network applications, such as teleconferencing, multimedia messaging and mobile TV, which have diverse requirements, has resulted in the introduction of Long Term Evolution (LTE) by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). LTE networks implement resource allocation algorithms to distribute radio resource to satisfy the bandwidth and delay requirements of users. However, the scheduling algorithm problem of distributing radio resources to users is not well defined in the LTE standard and thus considerably affects transmission order. Furthermore, the existing radio resource algorithm suffers from performance degradation under prioritised conditions because of the minimum data rate used to determine the transmission order. In this work, a novel downlink resource allocation algorithm that uses quality of service (QoS) requirements and channel conditions to address performance degradation is proposed. The new algorithm is formulated as an optimisation problem where network resources are allocated according to users' priority, whereas the scheduling algorithm decides on the basis of users' channel status to satisfy the demands of QoS. Simulation is used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, and results demonstrate that it performs better than do all other algorithms according to the measured metrics.

Household disaster preparedness and information sources: Rapid cluster survey after a storm in New South Wales, Australia.

BACKGROUND: A storm-related disaster in New South Wales, Australia in June 2007 caused infrastructure damage, interrupted essential services, and presented major public health risks. We investigated household disaster preparedness and information sources used before and during the disaster. METHODS: Rapid cluster survey of 320 randomly selected households in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. RESULTS: 227 households (71%) responded to the survey. By the day before the storm, 48% (95%CI 40-57%) of households were aware of a storm warning, principally through television (67%; 58-75%) and radio (57%; 49-66%) announcements. Storm preparations were made by 42% (28-56%) of these households.Storm information sources included: radio (78%; 68-88%); family, friends, colleagues and neighbours (50%; 40-60%); and television (41%; 30-52%). Radio was considered more useful than television (62%; 51-73% vs. 29%; 18-40%), even in households where electricity supply was uninterrupted (52%; 31-73% vs. 41%; 20-63%). Only 23% (16-30%) of households were aware that the local government-operated radio network has a designated communication role during disasters. A battery-operated household radio and appropriate batteries were available in 42% (34-50%) of households, while only 23% (16-29%) had all of: a torch, battery-operated radio, appropriate batteries, mobile phone, emergency contact list and first aid equipment. CONCLUSION: Broadcast media are important information sources immediately before and during disasters. Health services should promote awareness of broadcast networks' disaster role, especially the role of radio, and encourage general household disaster preparedness. A rapid cluster survey conducted shortly after a natural disaster provided practical, robust information for disaster planning.