The psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina: Contextual differences in psychological symptoms, social support, and discrimination

This study tested a contextual model of disaster reaction by examining regional differences in the psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina. A total of 386 individuals participated in this study. All were recruited in the primary areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and included residents of metropol...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behaviour research and therapy 2007-10, Vol.45 (10), p.2295-2306
Main Authors: Weems, Carl F., Watts, Sarah E., Marsee, Monica A., Taylor, Leslie K., Costa, Natalie M., Cannon, Melinda F., Carrion, Victor G., Pina, Armando A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Biological and medical sciences
Coasts
Cross-Sectional Studies
Disaster management
Disasters
Discrimination
Emotional symptoms
Emotions
Female
Health psychology
Humans
Hurricanes
Impact analysis
Louisiana
Male
Medical sciences
Mental disorders
Mental health
Middle Aged
Mississippi
Oceans
Perception
Post traumatic stress disorder
Prejudice
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychosocial factors
Regression Analysis
Sex Factors
Social interactions
Social Support
Stress Disorders, Traumatic - etiology
Stress Disorders, Traumatic - psychology
Trauma
Traumatic stress
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Summary:This study tested a contextual model of disaster reaction by examining regional differences in the psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina. A total of 386 individuals participated in this study. All were recruited in the primary areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and included residents of metropolitan New Orleans (Orleans Parish, Louisiana), Greater New Orleans (i.e., Metairie, Kenner, Gretna), and the Mississippi Gulf Coast (i.e., cities along the coast from Waveland to Ocean Springs, Mississippi). Participants were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, other psychological symptoms, perceptions of discrimination, perceptions of social support, evacuation distance, and the extent to which they experienced hurricane-related stressful events. Results were consistent with previous research on the impact of disasters on mental health symptoms. Findings extended research on individual differences in the response to trauma and indicated that regional context predicted unique variance in the experience of discrimination, social support, and emotional symptoms consistent with the theoretical model presented.
ISSN:0005-7967
1873-622X
DOI:10.1016/j.brat.2007.04.013