Table 2

Perceived needs of participants by gender

HESPER itemSerious problem
N (%)
TotalMaleFemale
Do you have a serious problem with….
Drinking water377 (81.1)168 (78.1)209 (85.0)
Alcohol or drug use in the community372 (80.0)164 (77.0)208 (84.6)*
Toilets356 (76.6)164 (76.3)192 (78.4)
Food349 (75.1)152 (70.7)197 (80.1)*
Education for the children297 (63.9)139 (65.0)158 (64.2)
The way aid is provided260 (55.9)107 (51.4)153 (63.5)*
Care for people in the community who are on their own251 (54.0)108 (52.9)143 (61.9)
Healthcare242 (52.0)109 (51.2)133 (54.1)
Support from others231 (49.7)93 (45.1)138 (56.8)*
Safety or protection from violence for women in the community225 (48.4)100 (46.9)125 (51.2)
Place to live in225 (48.4)95 (44.4)130 (53.1)
Clothes, shoes, bedding or blankets217 (46.7)93 (43.5)124 (50.4)
Income or livelihood215 (46.2)104 (48.4)111 (45.1)
Mental illness in the community214 (46.0)91 (43.8)123 (51.7)
Information203 (43.7)98 (46.0)105 (43.0)
Safety190 (40.9)93 (43.3)97 (39.4)
Distress163 (35.1)65 (30.7)98 (40.3)*
Law and justice in the community160 (34.4)75 (35.5)85 (34.7)
Keeping clean156 (33.5)77 (36.0)79 (32.1)
Too much free time148 (31.8)54 (25.2)94 (38.2)*
Care for family members135 (29.0)70 (33.3)65 (26.5)
Physical health131 (28.2)60 (28.0)71 (29.0)
Separation from family members123 (26.5)55 (25.7)68 (27.8)
Being displaced from home123 (26.5)61 (28.5)62 (25.2)
Moving between places104 (22.4)52 (24.3)52 (21.1)
Respect73 (15.7)33 (15.6)40 (16.3)
  • 2 significant difference; p<0.05.

  • HESPER, Humanitarian Emergency Settings Perceived Needs Scale.