Disaster preparedness and perceptions of people who experienced water insecurity: Insights from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s World Risk Poll

This study analyzed data from the 2021 Lloyd's Register Foundation's World Risk Poll to better understand how experiences of water insecurity are associated with disaster preparedness and related perceptions. Specifically, the study aimed to examine whether individuals who reported water insecurity perceived themselves as less prepared for disasters, whether they differed in their trust of information sources about disasters, and whether their concerns about water safety, severe weather, and climate change were interrelated.

Some of the findings reported that offer important insights for assessing and addressing water insecurity:

• Researchers should collect and analyze individual-level data to capture local impacts on water insecurity.
• Surveys should measure both water safety and water availability, as done by the WISE scale.
• There is a need for greater disaster preparedness among those who have experienced water insecurity.
• Interventions to boost actual and perceived disaster preparedness may help mitigate flood risk.
• Communications about water security are most effective via local news and emergency services.
• For people with low water security, religious leaders and local celebrities can be additional communication channels.