Earthquake preparedness perception among youth: Assessing through knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) framework

Bangladesh is tremendously vulnerable to earthquake due to its geographical locations and unplanned urbanization with poorly designed infrastructural development. Hence, understanding earthquake preparedness among the citizens of Bangladesh is of utmost essence. This study aims to explore earthquake preparedness among the youth in terms of Knowledge, attitude and practice; and to assess the factors that influence the preparedness among the youth in terms of Knowledge, attitude and practice. This study followed a quantitative cross-sectional research design to quickly capture the respondents' preparedness level on specific period of time. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select determine the sample of 400 of 18-35 age range. The structured survey questionnaire has been used to ensure objective data collection and descriptive statistics has been employed to ensure rigorous data analysis. This study found a strong knowledge (88.1%) and attitude (87.8%) level among Bangladeshi youth, aligning with global trends in urban disaster-prone regions. However, the slightly lower level of good practices (82.1%) reveals a disconnect between theoretical understanding and actionable behavior. Participants with good knowledge and positive attitudes are more likely to engage in preparedness behaviors. However, gaps in practice suggest that systemic and contextual barriers still influence outcomes.