Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Mental Health among US Adults

Abstract

Objectives: Hurricane Katrina was an intense tropical cyclone that made landfall in the United States (US) in August 2005, causing catastrophic damage in several states. This study examined the impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental health status among US adults. Methods: Multilevel regressions based on the difference-in-differences study design were performed on individual-level data (N = 70,267) retrieved from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2004-2006 surveys. Results: Hurricane Katrina was found to be associated with an increase of 0.68 poor mental health days among residents of Katrina-affected states. The negative impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental health status tended to be larger among Louisiana residents, women, young and middle-aged adults, lower income respondents, and those with poor/fair self-rated physical health than among Mississippi residents, men, older adults, higher income respondents, and those with good/excellent self-rated physical health. Conclusion: Hurricane Katrina adversely impacted mental health of residents in Katrina-affected states, and the impact differed across population subgroups. Future studies should investigate other potential risk and protective factors for the mental health consequences of disasters. They should examine long-term impacts on mental health following disasters to better inform population-based mental health interventions for disaster survivors.

The Impact of Climate Change on the Prevalence of Mental Illness Symptoms

“…3; OR 8). While our results are concordant with the plethora of studies examining the prevalence of mental illness post-flooding and TC exposure (Acierno et al, 2007;An et al, 2019;Ferré et al, 2018;Galea et al, 2007;Ginexi et al, 2000;Jermacane et al, 2018;Kar, 2004;Lowe et al, 2013;McMillen et al, 2002;Nahar et al, 2014;Phifer et al, 1988;Pietrzak et al, 2012;Waelde et al, 2000;Waite et al, 2017), this study is unique in making a priori predictions on mental illness symptoms after TC exposure prior to the natural disaster, and equally importantly in linking realistic climate change-induced SLR and SS scenarios to the number of cases of mental illness symptoms (OR 9) . While TC exposure more broadly is positively correlated with mental illness symptom risk, we illustrate numerous other factors that may contribute to the elevated risk for symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and MDD (OR 6).…”

Mental Health and Related Factors of Adolescent Students During Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

“…13 Another study focused on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental health status among United States (US) adults also found that the hurricane adversely impacted the mental health of residents in Katrina-affected states, and the impact was tended to be associated with age, gender, income, and physical health. 14 And the latest studies also consistently point to the detrimental impact on the mental health of COVID-19. During the early stage of the pandemic, a research included 1,210 adults found that more than half (53.8%) of the respondents rated the psychological impact as moderate-tosevere, and about one-third reported moderate-to-severe anxiety.…”

“…Plenty of studies over the past decades have shown that major social event including COVID-19 pandemic exists a detrimental impact on the mental health of individuals. [10][11][12][13][14] Early in 2003, during severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic in China, a study focused on medical students reported that compared with national normal model, the detection rate of anxiety and depression of medical students increased significantly. 13 Another study focused on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental health status among United States (US) adults also found that the hurricane adversely impacted the mental health of residents in Katrina-affected states, and the impact was tended to be associated with age, gender, income, and physical health.…”

“…Plenty of studies over the past decades have shown that major social event including COVID-19 pandemic exists a detrimental impact on the mental health of individuals [ 10 - 14 ]. Early in 2003, during severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic in China, a study focused on medical students reported that compared with national normal model, the detection rate of anxiety and depression of medical students increased significantly [ 13 ].…”

“…Early in 2003, during severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic in China, a study focused on medical students reported that compared with national normal model, the detection rate of anxiety and depression of medical students increased significantly [ 13 ]. Another study focused on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental health status among United States (US) adults also found that the hurricane adversely impacted the mental health of residents in Katrina-affected states, and the impact was tended to be associated with age, gender, income, and physical health [ 14 ]. And the latest studies also consistently point to the detrimental impact on the mental health of COVID-19.…”