Participatory Approach in Developing Village-Level Disaster Health Preparedness Plans

The high risk of disasters in Indonesia requires the development of village health preparedness plans that are not only administrative, but also participatory and implementable. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach in developing Village Disaster Health Preparedness Plans. Method: The activity was carried out in Malalak Village, Agam Regency, from January to March 2026, involving 45 purposively selected participants. The PAR approach was implemented through participatory assessments, document development, simulations, and monitoring and evaluation. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively based on pre-tests and post-tests, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The average knowledge score increased from 61.8 to 85.9 (39.0%). Community participation was very high (88.9–97.8%). The mentoring resulted in a preparedness document covering eight main components, while the simulation showed indicator achievement of 84.4–93.3%. Thematic analysis showed increased community capacity, strengthened cross-sector coordination, a growing sense of ownership of the document, and a commitment to sustainable implementation. Implications: The participatory approach can be a model for strengthening adaptive and sustainable community-based health resilience. Conclusions: The PAR approach effectively improved knowledge, community participation, the quality of preparedness documents, and cross-sector coordination, although capacity building in addressing vulnerable groups is still needed.