Factors Associated With Relief Overdemanding in The Disaster Response Phase: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Abstract Demand for relief increases after disasters. Some research suggests that the number of relief supplies required to satisfy the relief demanding after disasters is significantly higher than preliminary estimates, especially in low and lower-middle-income countries. So, this study was aimed to explore the reasons for relief overdemanding in the disaster response phase. In this qualitative content analysis study the managers of the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO), the Iranian Medical Emergency and Accident Management Center, Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization (TDMMO) and the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) were purposively sampled and invited to interview. The unstructured face-to-face interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using "constant comparison" and "microanalysis" methods. 21 agreed to participate and were interviewed. The interviews uncovered affected people-level factors such as the react to fear and anxiety and the unsatisfied demand due to improper distribution of facilities and crisis managers-level issues (e.g. facing people's dissatisfaction, incorrect or insufficient information and considering disaster as the opportunity to raise resources) as well as officials-level determinants (e.g. advertising and excitement, the partisanship of officials and low confidence on accident managers). Several factors influencing the relief overdemanding exist in disaster management in Iran. Strengthening local management when responding to disasters and conducting efficient disaster need assessment can reduce relief overdemanding and vastly prevent wasting surplus resources in the affected area.