Introduction: In an age of poly-crisis, pandemics and other crises are expected to be more frequent, deadly, and costly. To improve the preparedness of governments and citizens to deal with future crises, it is important to identify challenges in crisis management. This study aimed to determine profiles of how people relate to challenges in crisis management and the characteristics associated with these profiles.
Method: A quantitative survey was conducted in a sample of the Brussels adult population (n=429). Multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical classification were performed to identify clusters of people based on crisis management.
Results: Three clusters were identified related to reactions to a future health crisis. A first cluster grouped people who showed a high level of confidence in politicians and scientists who had decision-making power. They followed the advice of politicians and scientists who had to find a consensus. Citizens must be prepared by means of disaster plans and health education. According to them, the level for managing the crisis had to be national or European. A second cluster included people who were undecided or nuanced. They preferred not to express an opinion on how to deal with a crisis and on how to prepare citizens. A third cluster grouped citizens who opposed to following the protective measures imposed by the government, distrusting the authorities, media and scientists, and valuing individual freedom. The main actors in crisis management were citizens themselves, who must be prepared and be part of the decision-making process. For them, the appropriate level for crisis management was the local level.
Conclusions: To address future crises, it is important to diversify and tailor the response to the crisis to groups within society. A monitoring tool to consider these differences should be introduced and supported.