Toward an Explanation of Mass Care Shelter Use in Evacuations

The use of overnight shelters during evacuations is a topic of increased societal concern. Existing investigations do not provide an integrated nor consistent explanation. An assessment of existing published data led us to conclude that many factors suggested by others are not adequate explanations for shelter use; these include types of hazard, urban versus rural, day versus night, and shelter availability publicity. However, socioeconomic status and age of evacuees are consistent explanatory concepts. Further research on this topic is needed.