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Chapter 25 - The Social Psychology of Mass Casualty Decontamination in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear (CBRN) Incidents

from Section 3 - The Role of the Public in Emergencies: Survivors, Bystanders, and Volunteers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2024

By
Holly Carter ,
Charles Symons ,
Dale Weston  and
Richard Amlôt
Edited by
Richard Williams ,
Verity Kemp ,
Keith Porter ,
Tim Healing  and
John Drury
Richard Williams
Affiliation:
University of South Wales
Verity Kemp
Affiliation:
Independent Health Emergency Planning Consultant
Keith Porter
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham
Tim Healing
Affiliation:
Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London
John Drury
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
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Summary

Large-scale incidents that involve chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) material, whether accidental or deliberate, remain a high-impact public health threat. This chapter describes research in which the social identity approach has been applied to examine the psychosocial aspects involved in the process of decontamination. It focuses on the willingness and ability of members of the public to undergo decontamination. This research programme highlights the role of social identity in shaping public behaviour and affecting public health outcomes during incidents involving mass decontamination. It identifies that, during incidents requiring decontamination, the relationship between responders and members of the public is likely to play a key part in shaping public behaviour. It proposes that effective communication must begin prior to an incident occurring, continuing into the early stages and throughout the duration of the incident. It also proposes several actions that responders should take to facilitate the decontamination process and its outcomes.

Keywords

CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear)communicationscrowdsmass decontaminationsocial identity
Type
Chapter
Information
Major Incidents, Pandemics and Mental Health
The Psychosocial Aspects of Health Emergencies, Incidents, Disasters and Disease Outbreaks
 , pp. 173 - 179
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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