LastQuake app safety tips usage differences between countries

The number of visits on the safety tips page is to be compared with the total number of use of the app in this country. On average, 3.7% of the sessions on LastQuake include a visit on the safety tips page. However, significant and interesting differences can be noticed. As already observed in the preliminary report, the more developed countries (Italy or the United States of America) seem to have a lower visit rate than other countries such as Iran or Mexico for instance. Safety tips use seems to be linked to national development level, and could be linked to cultural factors This goes along with the fact that the USA generates 10% of the total traffic on the app, but only 4% of the visits on the safety tips pages. On the contrary, Mexico issued nearly 18% of the safety tips visits but stands for 4.8% of the total traffic. These differences could be linked to cultural factors, risk perception, and risk culture. For instance, perceived earthquake preparedness in Iran or Mexico may be lower than in Italy or Greece. Risk culture may also vary between these countries and explain a different appeal for safety advice. EMSC safety tips seem to help fill the expectation gap regarding prevention in some developing countries where the needs for safety advice are high. Furthermore, Mexico and Iran, for which rates are substantially higher, have both faced damaging and deadly earthquakes during the studied period. This may have raised the interest for safety tips more largely. Overall, the facts that the safety tips are used during seismic events and in a wide range of countries prove that they are not only useful to citizens, or at least to LastQuake users, but also understood internationally.

Note: See source document for full reference.

Cultural Factors: Worldviews, Local knowledge, Communication, Attitudes toward the media, Educational system, Access and use of infrastructure/services

Hazards: Natural hazards

Disaster Phases: Prevention, Preparedness, Response

Types of Actors Concerned: Non-active citizens, NGOs