48 April 2021. Vol 22. Num 1 * Corresponding Author: Aidin Aryankhesal, PhD. Address: Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Informaton Sciences, Iran Universi ty of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Tel: +98 (912) 4966346 E-Mail: aryankhesal.a@iums.ac.ir Research Paper: Earthquake and the Educatonal Needs of People With Physical Disabilites and Associated Groups: A Qualitatve Study 1. Health Emergencies and Disasters Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitaton Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Informaton Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3. Department of Rehabilitaton Management, School of Rehabilitaton Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Informaton Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5. Community-Oriented Nursing Midwifery Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. Shahrzad Pakjouei 1 , *Aidin Aryankhesal 2 , Mohammad Kamali 3 , Hesam Seyedin 4 , Mohammad Heidari 5 Objectve People with disabilites are highly vulnerable during disasters and their mortality is higher than nor- mal populaton. The causes of this vulnerability, in additon to the physical problems and movement limita- tons, can be lack of their knowledge in facing with disasters. Such defciencies can adversely afect their pre- paredness surviving in the disastrous situatons and cause adverse consequences. Hence, this study aimed to identfy the educatonal needs of people with physical disabilites and related groups in earthquakes, through understanding their views. Materials & Methods The study was done in a qualitatve method. Partcipants were selected from people with physical disability who had an experience of earthquake, literate, and in the age range of 18-60 years, through purposive sampling in two methods of maximum variaton and snowballing. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collecton and data saturaton was reached with the entry of 18 eligible individuals. Thematc analysis was applied for data analysis assisted by MAXQDA sofware V. 10. Results According to the partcipants, educaton was an essental factor for improving their preparedness for earthquake. The educatonal needs were categorized as two main themes. The frst main theme included two subthemes: 1. Basic educatonal needs such as saving life and preventon of secondary disabilites, keeping calm, stress management, and decision making; and 2. Empowerment educatonal needs such as coping with disabilites in critcal situatons, providing relief to other people in case of having enough ability, and educatng other people with disabilites. The second theme included two subthemes: 1. General educatonal needs re- lated to families and public, such as rescue of people with disabilites, saving self-life and preventon of disabili- tes, proper relief to public for preventon of disabilites, accompanying and psychological support of people with disabilites; and 2. The specialized educatonal needs for relief workers and disaster managers, including relief to people with disabilites, preventon of disability and injury while rescuing public, familiarity with dif- ferent groups of people with disabilites and their needs, and considering the needs of people while rescuing. Conclusion Based on the fndings, the educatonal needs of people with physical disabilites and related groups, emerged in the form of preserving life, health and disability preventon, empowerment and improv- ing the quality of services in the earthquake. Fulflling the educatonal needs can increase the preparedness of these people in facing with earthquakes, although it requires the development of standard and practcal educatonal programs by obtaining their opinions and implementng it in the situatons before the disasters. On the other hand, considering that no serious and principled acton has been taken so far in the feld of edu- caton of people with disabilites, it is necessary for the planners and policymakers to formulate specialized policies in accordance with the country's conditons. This measures can be efectve in reducing mortality and improving the health of these people in disaster situatons. A B S T R A C T Keywords: People with dis- abilites, Educaton, Needs, Disasters, Earthquake Received: 26 Jan 2020 Accepted: 09 Nov 2020 Available Online: 01 َApr 2021 Citation Pakjouei Sh, Aryankhesal A, Kamali M, Seyedin H, Heidari M. [Earthquake and the Educational Needs of People With Physical Disabilities and Associated Groups: A Qualitative Study (Persian)]. Archives of Rehabilitation. 2021; 22(1):48-65. https://doi.org/10.32598/RJ.22.1.3165.1 https://doi.org/10.32598/RJ.22.1.3165.1 Use your device to scan and read the artcle online