title: Mobile phone use among Medical Reserve Corps coordinators and volunteers: an exploratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To better understand how mobile phones can be used during emergency response, this study identifies a) current mobile phone use among Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers and coordinators in their daily lives and during response; b) challenges for mobile phone use during response; and c) areas for capacity building.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2012, 459 MRC volunteers and coordinators responded to a 35-question survey conducted online through SurveyMonkey. Respondents were asked how they use their mobile phones in their daily lives and during response, and how they would like to use them during response. Frequencies were calculated using SurveyMonkey and Excel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondents reported frequent and varied mobile phone use in their daily lives, with 99 percent of respondents owning a phone, 82 percent texting, and 87 percent of smartphone owners using apps. Although 80 percent of respondents who had been deployed used mobile phones during response, use of sophisticated mobile phone features was low; only 10 percent accessed emergency preparedness apps and 23 percent browsed the Internet for emergency response information. Respondents indicated a desire to use more features during response, such as emergency preparedness apps (72 percent) and e-mail to send or receive response instructions (80 percent).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that given access to mobile technology and training, emergency responders would like to increase their mobile phone use during response. Implications of these findings show a need for organizations to improve their support of mobile phone use.
authors: Education Specialist, Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning and Research Centers, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Scheller
authors: Research Assistant, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors: Megan
authors: M
authors: Peck
authors: Professor and Associate Dean, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Director, Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning and Research Centers, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors: Debra K
authors: DK
authors: Olson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004189:Disaster Planning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014838:Volunteers