Enhancing disaster preparedness: evaluating factors influencing the use of proposed mobile disaster management application for risk reduction

Disaster is a significant disruption causing significant losses and damages to a community or society, often beyond the capacity of those affected. Factors such as climate change, diseases, urbanization, and global movement are contributing to the worsening impacts of these disasters. The objectives of this study are 1) To assess the influence of mobile application use on the acceptance of community towards mobile disaster management applications. 2) To identify Factors Impacting Preparedness through Disaster Mobile Applications. 400 surveys were collected physically in disaster-prone areas conducted in the districts of Paya Terubong and Georgetown Penang, Malaysia. This study utilized a Logistic Regression Model to identify factors influencing the community's acceptance of mobile disaster apps. The logit analysis results show that age group, race, level of education, current app usage, and daily use ease positively influence the acceptance of mobile disaster management applications. However, education level has a negative influence. Factors affecting preparedness through disaster mobile applications include race, level of education, disaster experience, and network interruptions during hazards. Furthermore, the study suggests that to enhance disaster preparedness, local governments and app developers should address technical obstacles, enhance user interfaces, and implement proactive promotion strategies.