Assessing mental health after a disaster: Flood exposure, recovery stressors, and prior flood experience

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-19-2020

Abstract

Natural disasters are associated with environmental destruction and loss. In this chapter, we focus on mental health assessment in the years after a devastating flood. We begin with a brief overview of disasters and their psychosocial impacts. Next, we present data from an online survey conducted approximately 24-36 months after the flooding in 2016, which devasted many towns and communities across south Louisiana. These data show elevations in symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety in respondents with flood damage to their homes compared to those who were exposed to the flood but did not have water enter their homes. Significant positive correlations were obtained for recovery stress and total recovery events for all three symptom types. Regression analyses confirmed that age, gender, and current flood status were significantly associated with all three types of elevated symptoms. Contrary to expectation, prior flood experience was not a significant predictor of current mental health symptoms. Implications of these findings for the assessment of mental and behavioral health challenges after a natural disaster are considered.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

The Intersection of Trauma and Disaster Behavioral Health

First Page

271

Last Page

283

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