Building Healthy, Disaster-Resilient Communities in the face of Earthquake Hazards in Coastal British Columbia

This research project aims to use a multi-methods approach to better understand what makes the health of a community and it's individual members vulnerable to earthquake hazards. Further, this project seeks to investigate how to best mitigate this vulnerability in rural and urban populations in coastal regions of Vancouver Island. The research question to be addressed is: How can the health system support the creation of healthy, disaster-resilient communities in coastal areas of British Columbia under the threat of an earthquake? This research will help to address some of the gaps identified by the Emergency Management Branch in a 2007 report on earthquakes and Ministry of Health operations. By increasing community resilience through working to strengthen social resources, raise awareness and educate, individuals are likely to not be as reliant on local and provincial health services in immediate and prolonged recovery after an earthquake event.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Denis Cloutier FIsher

Student:

Sarah Stoner

Partner:

BC Ministry of Health

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

University:

University of Victoria

Program: