The role of risk perception, prior experience, and sociodemographics in disaster preparedness and emergency response toward typhoons in Hong Kong

This study examined how sociodemographics, risk perception, and prior experience affected typhoons' disaster preparedness and emergency response. A total of 286 valid questionnaires were obtained from a typhoon-prone district in Hong Kong. The results indicated that sociodemographics, risk perception, and prior experience explained significant amounts of variances in protective behaviors. Among these variables, risk perception was found to be the most powerful predictor and it mediated the effects of prior experience on disaster preparedness and emergency response toward typhoons. Furthermore, disaster preparedness initiated emergency response toward typhoons, indicating the spillover of protective behaviors. The paper contributes to the knowledge body by providing a better understanding of the process and mechanism of the performance of protective behaviors. Furthermore, this study may provide insights into improving typhoon management in Hong Kong as well as other coastal cities in Asia.