Disaster evacuation for persons with special needs: a content analysis of information on YouTube.

Disaster preparedness is more complex for persons with chronic illness, who may require specific planning to address unique needs. Research suggests that advance preparation and evacuation during a disaster leads to better health outcomes. Individuals access, and rely on, health information via online sources. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine information that persons who may have special needs receive from an Internet based free sharing source, YouTube, related to disaster evacuation procedures. A content analysis of 51 clips using the Health Literacy Skills Framework revealed themes related to quality and region. Findings suggested concerns such as errors, minimal information about management of conditions during evacuation, and lack of diversity.