A Scoping Literature Review: Cultural Competence for Hazards and Disaster Research

In the field of hazards and disaster research, which often involves rapid reconnaissance assessments in unfamiliar cultural and social contexts, cultural issues have been exacerbated by the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, which propel more researchers into the field and into contexts where they may lack community-based cultural knowledge. In quick response research, in particular, rarely is there time or adequate resources for individual researchers or research teams to properly prepare for new cultural contexts where they will study affected populations. The challenges associated with hazards and disaster researchers conducting these types of reconnaissance studies have come under increased ethical scrutiny, as technological advancements have simultaneously allowed for new and different types of data collection.

Through a systematic review of the cultural competence literature, this project (1) examines existing cultural competence strategies, interventions, tools, plans, and training protocols as applicable for hazards and disaster researchers; (2) introduces a comprehensive framework for building cultural competence for hazards and disaster researchers; and (3) identifies gaps and high-priority research areas to advance cultural competence among members of the research community. This research argues that applying a cultural competence framework in hazards and disaster research offers the ability to improve interplay between researchers and participants (disaster survivors, emergency practitioners, and other service agencies) in order to better serve the individuals, families, and communities most affected by natural hazards, social inequalities, and consequent disasters.

This dataset includes all the publications for this systematic literature review, which were published from January 1, 1960 to March 20, 2018 in English, including journal articles, books, book chapters, and grey literature (governmental and non-governmental organization reports).