Lessons from Hurricane Katrina for predicting the indirect health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Beyond their immediate effects on mortality, disasters have widespread, indirect impacts on mental and physical well-being by exposing survivors to stress and potential trauma. Identifying the disaster-related stressors that predict health adversity will help officials prepare for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Using data from a prospective study of young, low-income mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina, we find that bereavement, fearing for loved ones' well-being, and lacking access to medical care and medications predict adverse mental and physical health 1 y postdisaster, and some effects persist 12 y later. Adjusting for preexisting health and socioeconomic conditions attenuates, but does not eliminate, these associations. The findings, while drawn from a demographically unique sample, suggest that, to mitigate the indirect effects of COVID-19, lapses in medical care and medication use must be minimized, and public health resources should be directed to those with preexisting medical conditions, their social networks, and the bereaved.
Authors: Ethan J. Raker, Meghan Zacher, Sarah R. Lowe
Institutions: Harvard University, Brown University, Yale University
Language: English
Topic: COVID-19 and Mental Health
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Awards: G1721613469, G360983115, Adversity and resilience: Understanding the effects of Hurricane Katrina on vulnerable populations, Adversity and Resilience after Hurricane Katrina, The Relationship Between College Education & Health, Demographic and Health Disparities in Recovery from Hurricane Katrina: KATRINA@10, Brown Population Studies and Training Center
OpenAlex ID: W3025040140