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

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.