title: Emergency preparedness for higher risk populations: psychosocial considerations.
abstract: This paper was meant to be on 'vulnerable populations', as some population sub-groups do require special care, special planning and special integration of needs. However, the issue should be reframed in terms of groups at higher risks. The text explains how (1) there are contextual vulnerabilities, in (a) higher susceptibility, i.e. higher exposure to risk, (b) higher sensitivity, i.e. higher damage or higher brittleness, and (c) weaknesses and gaps in the emergency system; (2) that these higher susceptibility, sensitivity and system weaknesses involve important psychosocial considerations, which may stem from socio-demographic status or ripple effects in the community; and finally, (3) that addressing those 'soft spots' using the phrase 'vulnerable populations' can be misleading and disserving because it disempowers, stigmatises and deters one from a more thorough analysis.
authors.affiliation: GAP-Santé Research Laboratory, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. Louise.Lemyre@uottawa.ca
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lemyre
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zlepnig
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meyer-Macleod
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boutette
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D002959:Civil Defense / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D006801:Humans; D011584:Psychology; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012308:Risk Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations