Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Sociology
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
As disasters grow in frequency and intensity, their long-term mental health consequences, particularly for aging populations, remain underexplored. This dissertation investigates how cumulative disaster exposure contributes to depressive symptoms in later life, with a particular emphasis on the moderating role of geographic disparities and social support. My three-paper dissertation provides a better understanding of the relationship between natural hazard exposure, mental health, and aging. I utilized a unique longitudinal dataset that integrates disaster-related data (Spatial Hazards Events and Losses Database for the United States), including property damage and fatalities, with mental health data (REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) from older adults in the United States. In the first paper, I assess how varying intensities of disasters—minor, moderate, and severe—impact depressive symptoms among older adults across different time windows (1, 2, 5, 7, and 10 years) preceding their mental health assessment (in 2019). The second paper investigates how geographic context, especially the rural-urban divide moderates the relationship between disaster exposure and mental health outcomes among older adults. Finally, the third paper examines the role of social capital by examining how informal caregiving, in terms of availability, proximity, and relationship type, shapes mental health outcomes following disaster exposure in older Americans. This work demonstrates that the cumulative impact of lower-intensity disasters, particularly when coupled with limited informal caregiving support, can substantially impair psychological well-being in later life. The findings highlight the value of applying a cumulative stress framework to understand disaster resilience, especially among vulnerable older populations in the United States.
Date
5-9-2025
Recommended Citation
Thakkar, Shriya, "AGING THROUGH CALAMITIES: EXAMINING THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF DISASTER EXPOSURE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OLDER AMERICANS" (2025). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 6788.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/6788
Committee Chair
Smiley, Kevin T.