title: Criteria for Site Selection of Temporary Shelters after Earthquakes: a Delphi Panel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After a devastating earthquake, the site selection for the sheltering of earthquake victims is an important task. In order to generate a list of appropriate criteria for deciding on temporary sheltering site selection, we systematically combined the experience of experts and the findings of published documents in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Having explored published papers, we generated a list of criteria for the selection of the best location for temporary sheltering. In the next step, all criteria were presented to a group of experts in Iran and after a scientific discussion, the list was updated. In the last step, the final list of criteria was developed using the Delphi method in three rounds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on our previous systematic review, 27 criteria were presented for sheltering site selection. Expert interviews added 12 more items to them. The Delphi process approved 21 criteria of all proposed ones. These items then grouped into four categories: land suitability, socio-cultural considerations, service availability and disaster risk reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After an earthquake, our list of criteria may help the disaster team to select the best locations for temporary sheltering with minimum confusion. The consent of the earthquake victims and cost reduction of the operation would be the minimum benefits of using the appropriate criteria. These criteria also could be used by researchers to make objective and reproducible assessments of temporary sheltering site selection.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Criteria, Earthquake, Model, Site selection, Temporary shelter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Disaster Public Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.affiliation: Disaster and Emergency Health Academy, National Institute of Health Research, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardalan
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darvishi Boloorani
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Modeling in Health, Institute for Future Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: AliAkbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haghdoost
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hosseinzadeh-Attar