Significant psychological trauma to victims is an unavoidable by-product of severe natural disasters, and Hurricane Matthew is no exception. Making landfall on the 4th of October 2016, it swept across Haiti and eastern Cuba before reaching coastal regions of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Despite Matthew's far-reaching impact, it was in Haiti where the Category Four hurricane made its greatest mark. Infrastructure damage led to water contamination and cholera outbreaks, sparking major concern amongst the World Health Organization and Haitian Ministry of Health. Consequently, physical health impact related to cholera control through clean water access was prioritized over psychological repercussions. In this article, we aim to provide recommendations for local organizations to deliver effectively psychological intervention to Haitian victims of Matthew. We focused on Global Trauma Research, one of few humanitarian agencies with an established framework for implementing psychological trauma relief efforts, and wish to use it as the basis of our suggestions. In order to do so, we chose to review mental health promotion in the context of a relevant historical precedent, Hurricane Katrina. We uncovered a two-pronged approach taken by Hurricane Katrina responders: identification of at-risk groups followed by provision of targeted-relief efforts, and widespread delivery of care to all affected populations, with an emphasis on community reintegration. Based on these general principles, we recommend that Global Trauma Research identify groups at risk of long-term emotional disturbance, provide relief in a targeted fashion on the basis of relative need, and place emphasis on Haitian citizen support through relocation and community integration.

The geriatric population occupy a progressively greater portion of the Canadian demographic spectrum. They often present with multiple comorbidities and utilize a disproportionate amount of healthcare resources per capita. Keeping current Canadian healthcare practices may become unsustainable in the long run, and comparison with the French healthcare system may help with the identification of current shortfalls. The Canadian healthcare system lags behind the French counterpart in several key healthcare indicators, including per capita spending, growth in expenditure, and specialist wait time. The French healthcare system is characterized by a mix of public and private healthcare choices, greater emphasis on preventative health and an nationwide integration. All of these may have contributed to the French healthcare system’s better fiscal spending practices and healthcare outcomes. The Canadian healthcare system should take note of these differences and integrate positive elements to create a model better prepared for geriatric care in the foreseeable future. More in-depth studies may be needed to better assess the extent of adaptation for each of the aforementioned areas.