EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RADIO-BASED FLOOD WARNINGS FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS IN T/A NGABU,

This study evaluates the effectiveness of radio-based flood warning systems for visually impaired individuals in Traditional Authority Ngabu, Chikwawa District, Malawi. While radio is widely used for emergency communication, its design and implementation often exclude the needs of visually impaired populations. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the research integrates survey data, interviews, focus groups, and social network analysis to examine radio access, message comprehension, response actions, and institutional dynamics.
Findings reveal significant disparities: only 40% of visually impaired respondents owned radios, with completely blind individuals significantly underrepresented (25%) compared to partially blind (50%). Economic status emerged as a strong predictor of ownership (OR=3.25, p=0.005). Barriers such as battery affordability (73.3%), difficulty in radio operation (91.7% among completely blind), and poor signal reception during storms were prevalent. Only 32.1% fully understood radio warnings, with comprehension highly influenced by language (p=0.022) and education level (η2=0.29). Response delays were notable, with visually impaired individuals facing an average of 2.3 additional transmission steps (p<0.001), adding 15–30 minutes of delay per step.
Social network analysis showed visually impaired individuals occupied peripheral communication roles (eigenvector centrality = 0.14 vs. 0.42, p<0.001), and institutional analysis revealed minimal integration between disaster management offices and disability organizations. Community support was largely informal and proximity-based, with social isolation correlating with significantly delayed warning reception (p<0.001).

Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the research integrates survey data, interviews, focus groups, and social network analysis to examine radio access, message comprehension, response actions, and institutional dynamics. Findings reveal significant disparities: only 40% of visually impaired respondents owned radios, with completely blind individuals significantly underrepresented (25%) compared to partially blind (50%). Barriers such as battery affordability (73.3%), difficulty in radio operation (91.7% among completely blind), and poor signal reception during storms were prevalent. Response delays were notable, with visually impaired individuals facing an average of 2.3 additional transmission steps (p<0.001), adding 15–30 minutes of delay per step.

The research was conducted in Traditional Authority (T/A) Ngabu in Chikwawa District, Malawi. This district occupies a land size of about 4,755 km2 and is occupied by about 564,684 people, while T/A Ngabu represents about 157,742 persons (National Statistical Office, 2018).
This location was strategically selected due to its:
1. High vulnerability to seasonal flooding
2. Significant population of visually impaired individuals
3. Reliance on radio as a primary communication medium for disaster warnings
4. Coverage by multiple radio stations (both national and community-based)
T/A Ngabu is characterized by both riverine and inland settlements with varying proximity to flood-prone areas, allowing for comparative analysis of warning system effectiveness across different geographical contexts.

Traditional authority: TA Ngabu

District: Chikwawa

Coordinates: -16.477, 34.83805