Perspectives of local public officials on the health hazards of compound flooding in Eastern North Carolina

Abstract

The recurrence of compound flooding in Eastern North Carolina (ENC) leads to place-based short- and long-term health effects in a predominantly rural coastal region. Findings from focus groups with planners, emergency managers, and public officials in 2020 (41 participants) and 2022 (24 participants), show that ENC communities experience place-based health effects that fall under three areas including healthcare access for special needs and aging populations, respiratory and water-borne diseases, and stress and mental health. While, the lack of quantifiable data and indicators of health impacts creates barriers to appropriate responses, greater investments to improve primary care and better data collection tools can mitigate the health challenges of compound floods in rural ENC.