Lessons from Hurricane Katrina for predicting the indirect health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic

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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.

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Most cited references 13

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Emily Goldmann, Sandro Galea (2014)

We present in this review the current state of disaster mental health research. In particular, we provide an overview of research on the presentation, burden, correlates, and treatment of mental disorders following disasters. We also describe challenges to studying the mental health consequences of disasters and discuss the limitations in current methodologies. Finally, we offer directions for future disaster mental health research.

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What predicts psychological resilience after disaster? The role of demographics, resources, and life stress.

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A growing body of evidence suggests that most adults exposed to potentially traumatic events are resilient. However, research on the factors that may promote or deter adult resilience has been limited. This study examined patterns of association between resilience and various sociocontextual factors. The authors used data from a random-digit-dial phone survey (N = 2,752) conducted in the New York City area after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. Resilience was defined as having 1 or 0 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and as being associated with low levels of depression and substance use. Multivariate analyses indicated that the prevalence of resilience was uniquely predicted by participant gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, level of trauma exposure, income change, social support, frequency of chronic disease, and recent and past life stressors. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

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The first of a two-phase project is reported that examined the prospective effects of stress and social support on the physical and mental health of the elderly. A sample of 50 elderly subjects was assessed at two points in time over a 6-month period. Results indicated that social support was a significant predictor of physical health status, whereas mental health was related to the Stress X Social Support interaction term. These latter results were consistent with the buffering hypothesis, in that high levels of social support served to reduce the negative impact of stress on mental health. Individuals who were in better mental health at the initial assessment experienced fewer stressful events and higher levels of social support over the subsequent 6-month period. The implications of these findings for research and theory regarding the relation between stress and social support are discussed.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A

Journal ID (hwp): pnas

Journal ID (pmc): pnas

Journal ID (publisher-id): PNAS

Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Publisher: National Academy of Sciences

ISSN (Print): 0027-8424

ISSN (Electronic): 1091-6490

Publication date (Print): 9 June 2020

Publication date (Electronic): 18 May 2020

Publication date PMC-release: 18 May 2020

Volume: 117

Issue: 23

Pages: 12595-12597

Affiliations

[1] ^aDepartment of Sociology, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA 02138;

[2] ^bPopulation Studies and Training Center, Brown University , Providence, RI 02912;

[3] ^cDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health , New Haven, CT, 06510

Author notes

²To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: eraker@ 123456g.harvard.edu or meghan_zacher@ 123456brown.edu .

Edited by Kenneth W. Wachter, University of California, Berkeley, CA, and approved May 7, 2020 (received for review April 9, 2020)

Author contributions: E.J.R., M.Z., and S.R.L. designed research; E.J.R. performed research; M.Z. analyzed data; and E.J.R., M.Z., and S.R.L. wrote the paper.

¹E.J.R. and M.Z. contributed equally to this work.

Article

Publisher ID: 202006706

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2006706117

PMC ID: 7293707

PubMed ID: 32424085

SO-VID: 01a13768-a6ac-45d1-bd21-3729708776b2

License:

This open access article is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License 4.0 (CC BY-NC-ND).

History

Page count

Pages: 3

Funding

Funded by: HHS | NIH | Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) 100009633

Award ID: P01HD082032