Manjoro, M.Mathaulula, M. A.Tshitangano, T. G.Khosa, Sibongile2026-06-302026-06-302026-05-19Khosa, S. 2026. Contextualised framework for healthy disaster risk reduction in socio-economically disadvantaged rural–based schools of Thulamela Municipality. . .https://univendspace.univen.ac.za/handle/11602/3318Ph. D. in Rural DevelopmentInstitute for Rural DevelopmentNatural phenomena such as health disasters pose significant threats to all aspects of human life. Children and youth, particularly from socio-economically disadvantaged groups are the most vulnerable groups that directly or indirectly suffer the consequences of disasters when they occur. The recent devastating schooling disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic laid bare socio-economic inequalities and how health disasters can affect the education system in marginalised areas. Despite these adversities on children and youth particularly in rural schools of South Africa, there are limited locally relevant health disaster risk reduction frameworks that consider socio-economic backgrounds to help prepare the disadvantaged schools to prevent, adapt, and sustainably cope with disaster aftermath. Cognisance of this gap in practice and policy, this study aimed to develop a contextualised health disaster risk reduction framework that is relevant for use in socio-economically disadvantaged schools in Thulamela Municipality. A sequentially mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative) was employed to attain the study objectives. A triangulation of a case study and survey designs was followed. In the case study participants were selected using the purposive sampling technique while the random sampling technique was utilised to select respondents for the survey. Semi-structured interview guides were used in the first phase (case study) and structured questionnaires were utilised to interview respondents in the survey. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. Frequencies, descriptive statistics, and Principal Component Analysis were computed while Atlas ti version 9 (Network diagrams) software was used to compute qualitative data. The results revealed that the common health disasters among the socio-economically disadvantaged schools include the COVID-19 pandemic and road accidents, chronic diseases, floods, food poisoning and malaria. Chronic diseases, malaria and flood disasters were moderately and variably reported across schools. Identified vulnerability factors in these schools included learner vulnerabilities (20,76 %), ineffective transportation system (11,25 %), limited trauma management capacity (9.26 %), limited public trust and resilience (8,07 %), safety and resource limitations (7,82 %) as well as lack of disaster preparation plans (7,22 %) variance. These vulnerabilities exist in the prevention, preparation and adaptation phases of health disaster risk reduction. Results further showed that socio-economically disadvantaged schools require key resources that include efficient emergency transport systems, efficient communication devices and systems, search and rescue equipment, and sufficient classrooms for learners to ensure safety and reduce overcrowding. Various stakeholders that are in the schools, public and private sectors were identified. It was also confirmed that the schools are currently utilising reactive response mechanisms to health disasters such as adhering to safety regulations, providing safety relief mechanisms, and engaging the Department of Education among others. This prompts the need for providing prioritised resources to enable schools to better prepare, prevent and adapt to health disasters. In terms of the pillars of health disaster risk reduction, results established six pillars of health disaster risk reduction (DRR) in schools. These include psychological support and disaster awareness (22,3 %), community-informed planning (9,6 %), emergency health facilities and context-based policies (8,9 %), safe transport and budget allocation (8,1 %), communication and collaboration (7,5 %), assurance and resource provision (7,1 %). If implemented these pillars can help to address the disaster vulnerabilities in the socio-economically disadvantaged schools in Thulamela Municipality and strengthen risk reduction capacities. The resultant contextualised framework for health disaster risk reduction was anchored on the understanding that health DRR in schools is a process comprising different interrelated actions. The first step was to identify school vulnerabilities that reduce the capacity to respond to health disasters as well as prevalent health-related disasters. The second key step was to identify the required resources and relevant stakeholders in school DRR efforts. These steps led to the establishment of targeted response pillars for health disaster prevention, preparation and adaptation. The pillars are a direct response to the vulnerabilities identified in the first step to ensure appropriate and targeted planning and response to health disasters. The framework provides key information required to prevent, prepare and adapt to health disasters in socio-economically disadvantaged schools. The components of the framework reflect local realities and are relevant to underprivileged schools. Therefore, District Department of Basic Education, local schools, and disaster management decision-makers can utilize the components of the contextualized framework and the application pathways to guide their DRR efforts.enUniversity of VendaChildrenUCTDHealth disastersRisk reductionSocially disadvantage schools371.70968257Education -- South Africa -- LimpopoPublic health -- South Africa -- LimpopoRisk assessment -- South Africa -- LimpopoRisk assessment -- South Africa -- LimpopoSchools -- Risk management -- South Africa -- LimpopoRural schools -- South Africa -- LimpopoThesisKhosa S. Contextualised framework for healthy disaster risk reduction in socio-economically disadvantaged rural–based schools of Thulamela Municipality. []. , 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from:Khosa, S. (2026). <i>Contextualised framework for healthy disaster risk reduction in socio-economically disadvantaged rural–based schools of Thulamela Municipality</i>. (). . Retrieved fromKhosa, Sibongile. <i>"Contextualised framework for healthy disaster risk reduction in socio-economically disadvantaged rural–based schools of Thulamela Municipality."</i> ., , 2026.TY - Thesis AU - Khosa, Sibongile AB - Natural phenomena such as health disasters pose significant threats to all aspects of human life. Children and youth, particularly from socio-economically disadvantaged groups are the most vulnerable groups that directly or indirectly suffer the consequences of disasters when they occur. The recent devastating schooling disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic laid bare socio-economic inequalities and how health disasters can affect the education system in marginalised areas. Despite these adversities on children and youth particularly in rural schools of South Africa, there are limited locally relevant health disaster risk reduction frameworks that consider socio-economic backgrounds to help prepare the disadvantaged schools to prevent, adapt, and sustainably cope with disaster aftermath. Cognisance of this gap in practice and policy, this study aimed to develop a contextualised health disaster risk reduction framework that is relevant for use in socio-economically disadvantaged schools in Thulamela Municipality. A sequentially mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative) was employed to attain the study objectives. A triangulation of a case study and survey designs was followed. In the case study participants were selected using the purposive sampling technique while the random sampling technique was utilised to select respondents for the survey. Semi-structured interview guides were used in the first phase (case study) and structured questionnaires were utilised to interview respondents in the survey. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. Frequencies, descriptive statistics, and Principal Component Analysis were computed while Atlas ti version 9 (Network diagrams) software was used to compute qualitative data. The results revealed that the common health disasters among the socio-economically disadvantaged schools include the COVID-19 pandemic and road accidents, chronic diseases, floods, food poisoning and malaria. Chronic diseases, malaria and flood disasters were moderately and variably reported across schools. Identified vulnerability factors in these schools included learner vulnerabilities (20,76 %), ineffective transportation system (11,25 %), limited trauma management capacity (9.26 %), limited public trust and resilience (8,07 %), safety and resource limitations (7,82 %) as well as lack of disaster preparation plans (7,22 %) variance. These vulnerabilities exist in the prevention, preparation and adaptation phases of health disaster risk reduction. Results further showed that socio-economically disadvantaged schools require key resources that include efficient emergency transport systems, efficient communication devices and systems, search and rescue equipment, and sufficient classrooms for learners to ensure safety and reduce overcrowding. Various stakeholders that are in the schools, public and private sectors were identified. It was also confirmed that the schools are currently utilising reactive response mechanisms to health disasters such as adhering to safety regulations, providing safety relief mechanisms, and engaging the Department of Education among others. This prompts the need for providing prioritised resources to enable schools to better prepare, prevent and adapt to health disasters. In terms of the pillars of health disaster risk reduction, results established six pillars of health disaster risk reduction (DRR) in schools. These include psychological support and disaster awareness (22,3 %), community-informed planning (9,6 %), emergency health facilities and context-based policies (8,9 %), safe transport and budget allocation (8,1 %), communication and collaboration (7,5 %), assurance and resource provision (7,1 %). If implemented these pillars can help to address the disaster vulnerabilities in the socio-economically disadvantaged schools in Thulamela Municipality and strengthen risk reduction capacities. The resultant contextualised framework for health disaster risk reduction was anchored on the understanding that health DRR in schools is a process comprising different interrelated actions. The first step was to identify school vulnerabilities that reduce the capacity to respond to health disasters as well as prevalent health-related disasters. The second key step was to identify the required resources and relevant stakeholders in school DRR efforts. These steps led to the establishment of targeted response pillars for health disaster prevention, preparation and adaptation. The pillars are a direct response to the vulnerabilities identified in the first step to ensure appropriate and targeted planning and response to health disasters. The framework provides key information required to prevent, prepare and adapt to health disasters in socio-economically disadvantaged schools. The components of the framework reflect local realities and are relevant to underprivileged schools. Therefore, District Department of Basic Education, local schools, and disaster management decision-makers can utilize the components of the contextualized framework and the application pathways to guide their DRR efforts. DA - 2026-05-19 DB - ResearchSpace DP - Univen KW - Children KW - Health disasters KW - Risk reduction KW - Socially disadvantage schools LK - https://univendspace.univen.ac.za PY - 2026 T1 - Contextualised framework for healthy disaster risk reduction in socio-economically disadvantaged rural–based schools of Thulamela Municipality TI - Contextualised framework for healthy disaster risk reduction in socio-economically disadvantaged rural–based schools of Thulamela Municipality UR - ER -