INTRODUCTION: Metro Manila is at risk from “the big one”, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake caused by the movement of the West Valley Fault, thus awareness and preparedness of the people are very important. The study compared the levels of earthquake awareness and preparedness of households in a high-risk area and a low risk area. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study among 376 households each from a high- and a low-risk barangay in Metro Manila using a self-administered household-based survey questionnaire consisting of questions on awareness and preparedness. The prevalence of households classified as aware and wellprepared was computed; the significance of differences between the high- and low risk barangays was determined through Fisher’s exact test. RESULTS: There were fewer households classified as aware in the high-risk barangay compared with the low risk barangay, but the difference was not significant (PR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.84, 1.01, p = 0.078, Fisher’s exact test). Less than half of households were classified as well-prepared in both high- and low risk barangays (49.7 vs 46.5%) and the difference was not significant (PR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.92, 1.24, p = 0.422, Fisher’s exact test). Television was the most common source of information in both barangays. Households in the high-risk barangay were more likely to be well-prepared when a member was at least a high school graduate (PR = 2.54, 95% CI 1.24, 5.22, p = 0.001, Fisher’s exact test). CONCLUSION There was no difference in the levels of awareness and preparedness between high and low risk barangays. Television was the most common source of information in both high and low risk barangays. The presence of at least one high school graduate in the household from a high-risk barangay was associated with preparedness but not awareness.
environment ; earthquake ;