title: Preparedness of hospitals in north of iran to deal with disasters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preparedness of hospital has a major impact on their optimal and satisfactory performance. This study aimed to investigate the preparedness of the hospitals to deal with disasters.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was carried in 2011 and all of the hospitals which were located in the northern areas of Iran were investigated through the census method. The data collection instruments were self-administered Managers' Awareness Questionnaire (40 items) and a 141-item checklist. The mean percentage score of hospitals in management of the unanticipated disasters program in the hospital was good. The mean score of managers' awareness of the hospital status was moderate. With the increase in managers' awareness, the preparedness of the hospitals significantly increased (r = 0.73, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings showed the moderate preparedness of the hospitals in the Northern provinces to deal with disasters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Management, School of Public Health, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raei
authors.affiliation: Department of General Education, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seiyed Davoud
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Nasrollahpour Shirvani
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Management, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Guilan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abolhasan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afkar
keywords: Disasters; Hospital Preparedness; Iran