scholarly journals Information Preference and Information Supply Efficiency Evaluation before, during, and after an Earthquake: Evidence from Songyuan, China

Author(s):  
Shasha Li ◽  
Xinyu Peng ◽  
Ruiqiu Pang ◽  
Li Li ◽  
Zixuan Song ◽  
...  

Efficient risk communication is aimed at improving the supply of risk information to meet the information needs of individuals, thus reducing their vulnerability when facing the risk of emergency. There is little information available in the literature regarding information preference from an individual’s need perspective, and there is a lack of differentiation in evaluation between information need and supply. Under the guidance of the crisis stage analysis theory, using multiple response analysis and weighted analysis methods, this study explores earthquake disaster information content and communication channel preferences, and develops an information deviation index (IDI) to evaluate the efficiency of risk communication before, during, and after an earthquake. A questionnaire-based survey of 918 valid respondents in Songyuan, China, which had been hit by a small earthquake swarm, was conducted to provide practical evidence for this study. The results indicated the following. Firstly, the information needs of individuals are highly differentiated in the different stages of an earthquake. From pre-disaster to post-disaster, individuals show a shift in information need from “preparedness and response knowledge” to “disaster information”, then to “disaster information and disaster relief information” in parallel, to “reconstruction and reflection information”. Based on the above analysis, a composition of the main earthquake disaster information is proposed for different stages. Secondly, by measuring the values of the IDI, we found that most individuals’ information needs were met for the earthquake. Thirdly, the TV and the internet were the two preferred commutation channels for acquiring disaster information from among all the effective channels in all the stages.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farnoush Bayatmakou ◽  
Azadeh Mohebi ◽  
Abbas Ahmadi

Purpose Query-based summarization approaches might not be able to provide summaries compatible with the user’s information need, as they mostly rely on a limited source of information, usually represented as a single query by the user. This issue becomes even more challenging when dealing with scientific documents, as they contain more specific subject-related terms, while the user may not be able to express his/her specific information need in a query with limited terms. This study aims to propose an interactive multi-document text summarization approach that generates an eligible summary that is more compatible with the user’s information need. This approach allows the user to interactively specify the composition of a multi-document summary. Design/methodology/approach This approach exploits the user’s opinion in two stages. The initial query is refined by user-selected keywords/keyphrases and complete sentences extracted from the set of retrieved documents. It is followed by a novel method for sentence expansion using the genetic algorithm, and ranking the final set of sentences using the maximal marginal relevance method. Basically, for implementation, the Web of Science data set in the artificial intelligence (AI) category is considered. Findings The proposed approach receives feedback from the user in terms of favorable keywords and sentences. The feedback eventually improves the summary as the end. To assess the performance of the proposed system, this paper has asked 45 users who were graduate students in the field of AI to fill out a questionnaire. The quality of the final summary has been also evaluated from the user’s perspective and information redundancy. It has been investigated that the proposed approach leads to higher degrees of user satisfaction compared to the ones with no or only one step of the interaction. Originality/value The interactive summarization approach goes beyond the initial user’s query, while it includes the user’s preferred keywords/keyphrases and sentences through a systematic interaction. With respect to these interactions, the system gives the user a more clear idea of the information he/she is looking for and consequently adjusting the final result to the ultimate information need. Such interaction allows the summarization system to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the user’s information needs while expanding context-based knowledge and guiding the user toward his/her information journey.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 1577-1595 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Maidl ◽  
M. Buchecker

Abstract. During the last decade, most European countries have produced hazard maps of natural hazards, but little is known about how to communicate these maps most efficiently to the public. In October 2011, Zurich's local authorities informed owners of buildings located in the urban flood hazard zone about potential flood damage, the probability of flood events and protection measures. The campaign was based on the assumptions that informing citizens increases their risk awareness and that citizens who are aware of risks are more likely to undertake actions to protect themselves and their property. This study is intended as a contribution to better understand the factors that influence flood risk preparedness, with a special focus on the effects of such a one-way risk communication strategy. We conducted a standardized mail survey of 1500 property owners in the hazard zones in Zurich (response rate main survey: 34 %). The questionnaire included items to measure respondents' risk awareness, risk preparedness, flood experience, information-seeking behaviour, knowledge about flood risk, evaluation of the information material, risk acceptance, attachment to the property and trust in local authorities. Data about the type of property and socio-demographic variables were also collected. Multivariate data analysis revealed that the average level of risk awareness and preparedness was low, but the results confirmed that the campaign had a statistically significant effect on the level of preparedness. The main influencing factors on the intention to prepare for a flood were the extent to which respondents evaluated the information material positively as well as their risk awareness. Respondents who had never taken any previous interest in floods were less likely to read the material. For future campaigns, we therefore recommend repeated communication that is tailored to the information needs of the target population.


Author(s):  
Loveleen Kaur ◽  
Sukhjeet Kaur ◽  
Preeti Sharma

Information is a source of power and is important for individual growth and survival. Information about health and hygiene is crucial because it influences an individual’s quality of life. As far as health and hygiene practices are concerned, women play an active role in getting information about these; hence there is a need to study their information needs regarding health and hygiene. After finding out the needs of women regarding these aspects, accordingly information can be made accessible to them. Keeping this into account, the present study was conducted in Ludhiana district of Punjab. Data was taken from 200 rural and urban women of 25-50 years, by the help of an interview schedule. Health and hygiene practices were studied under three categories as personal, food related and household health and hygiene practices. Information needs were studied on a three point continuum i.e. highly needed, somewhat needed and not needed. Results of the study showed that under personal health and hygiene practice, information on hair care and obesity was most needed. The most needed information regarding food related health and hygiene was on low cost nutritious recipes. The major information need reported by the respondents was related to control of insects and pests in case of household health and hygiene practices and majority of the respondents had low level of information need for all health and hygiene practices. Information needs of the women were positively related with their education and mass media exposure, whereas age was negatively correlated with the information needs of women. Consequently, there is a need to educate women regarding health and hygiene practices through effective communication methods, so that they can realize the importance and need for information on these topics.


2022 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Fahri Ramadhan ◽  
Muhammad Ramdhani ◽  
Wahyu Utamidewi

Sex education is still a topic that is considered taboo in Indonesia, through Tiktok which is a popular application in the world in 2020, it is used as a medium to meet this information need by the @tabu.id account. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intensity, media content and attractiveness of using social media on the TikTok @tabu.id account on the fulfillment of sex education information needs. This study uses a quantitative approach with an explanatory survey. The theory used is the Uses Effect Theory. The data collection technique used is a questionnaire or questionnaire and literature study. While the data analysis technique will be collected using a Likert scale. The results of this study are the intensity, message content and attractiveness affect the need for information about sex education. While the magnitude of the influence of sex education information is 6.75%, the magnitude of the influence of infographic messages on sex education information is 33.26% and the magnitude of the influence of sex education information is 15.02%.


2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Loy

A review of: Kalyani, Ankem. “Factors Influencing Information Needs Among Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis.” Library & Information Science Research; 28.1 (2006) 7-23. Objective – The author aims to study the aggregate influence of demographic and situational variables on the information needs of cancer patients, in order to inform the provision of information to those patients. Design – Meta-analysis. Setting – Research articles published in the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases. Subjects – English language studies published between 1993 and 2003. An initial search set of 196 studies from MEDLINE and 283 studies from CINAHL were identified. Following rigorous assessment, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Methods – A comprehensive search of the databases was conducted, initially combining “neoplasm” with “cancer patients” using the Boolean “or”. These results were then combined with five separate searches using the following terms; information need(s), information seeking, information seeking behaviour, information source(s) and information resource(s). This identified in total 479 English language articles. Based on a review of titles and abstracts, 110 articles were found covering information resources or the information needs of cancer patients. These articles were then subjected to the further inclusion criteria and limited to studies which included: analysis of information needs and/or information sources of cancer patients; adults as subjects of the research; and application of quantitative research methods and relevant statistics. This eliminated a further 35 papers. Twelve of the remaining 75 studies were selected for meta-analysis based on their use of the same variables measured consistently in comparable units. The final 12 studies included various forms of cancer, and no distinction was made among them. All 12 studies appeared in peer-reviewed journals. Main results – The meta-analysis found there was consistently no difference between the information needs of men and women. Five subsets were identified within the meta-analysis, and findings for each can be stated as follows: The younger the age of the patient, the greater their overall need for information was likely to be. During treatment, the time elapsed from the diagnosis to the information need was not significant. Once identified, the information need remained constant. During treatment and post-treatment phases, the time elapsed from the diagnosis to the information need made no significant difference, with the information need remaining constant and continuing into the post-treatment phase. The stage of cancer made no difference to the need for information. Those patients in the advanced stages of cancer required an equal amount of information to those in the early stages of cancer. The individual patient’s preferred role in treatment-related decisions made a difference to the information need. Patients who took an active role in treatment-related decisions had a greater need for information than those who did not take an active role. Conclusion – Findings from this meta-analysis can be used to guide information provision to cancer patients, specifically taking patient age and preferred role in treatment decision-making into consideration. Further research into the reasons behind the lower information needs among older patients is called for by the author.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-22
Author(s):  
Yongshan Chen ◽  
Yonghe Lu

Information plays an important role in meeting the quantitative and qualitative goals of agriculture in the 21st century. As an emerging economy in a developing continent, China has already made many interventions to use information technology to support agricultural development. However, information service in some rural areas is still severely limited. The overall impact of the changing information environment on the farmers’ information needs and access channels has not been fully studied. Thus, this study systematically investigates the characteristics of the information needs and channels of farmers in Guangdong, China. We have collected 4006 questionnaire samples and used correlation analysis to explore the relationships between farmers’ information needs and access channel preferences. The results indicate that individual characteristic factors, social factors and family factors have different degrees of influence on farmers’ information needs and access channel preferences. These findings can provide a reference for information construction in the rural areas of Guangdong Province and thus promote its economic development. This study can also provide useful insights for policy-makers and researchers from other developing countries to formulate implementation plans to promote agricultural development.


Risk Analysis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1506-1520 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Terpstra ◽  
R. Zaalberg ◽  
J. de Boer ◽  
W. J. W. Botzen

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukio Fujinawa ◽  
◽  
Ryoichi Kouda ◽  
Yoichi Noda ◽  
◽  
...  

The so-called “smart” community try to maintain a balance between supply and demand for economic energy consumption in the future world of increased urbanization and CO2 emissions. In recent, frequent occurrences of disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and typhoons possibly induced by global warming, we should build smart communities resilient against natural and man-made risks. The resilient smart community requires two types of solutions –soft and hard. We propose here a scheme of smart city withstanding natural hazards taking into account disaster information focusing on earthquake disaster information.


1984 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis S. Mileti ◽  
Joanne M. Nigg

Efforts by social scientists to investigate behavioral aspects of earthquakes are few when compared to other disasterinducing natural phenomena. Nevertheless, completed studies reveal patterns of findings similar to those found in other disaster investigations; and social scientific earthquake investigations promise to be more frequent in the future. This paper catalogues what the existing research record suggests as the major conclusions about human behavior in reference to earthquakes. Some of the conclusions reached in this paper are, first, action to mitigate future earthquake losses does not necessarilly follow from heightened risk perceptions in individuals; second, human response to earthquake disasters is better viewed as one in which the “thin-veneer-of-civilization” is strengthened rather than as a state of chaos or societal disorder, and the public is better described as a resource in disaster than as a problem; third, earthquake disaster economic impacts are not uniform in human populations despite comparable damage; forth, emergency response by organizations to earthquake disasters is both more effective and efficient if prefaced by sound planning; fifth, public information needs are rarely if ever adequately met in earthquake emergencies; and, finally the adoption of hazard mitigation strategies at all levels of government is most frequent in the aftermath of earthquake disaster than at any other time.


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