Abstract
The impacts of hurricane-related disasters in agricultural communities include extensive losses of fields, orchards, and livestock, the recovery of which could span many years. Agricultural Extension Agents (EAs) try to manage and mitigate these losses, while simultaneously overseeing emergency shelter operations. These non-professional emergency responders face numerous potential stressors, the outcomes of which are minimally known. This study examined the short- and long-term medical and behavioral outcome of 36 University of Florida Agricultural Extension Agents within two months and one year after Hurricane Irma, Florida, USA, taking into consideration personal/home and work-related hurricane impacts. Regression analyses indicated that combined home and work hurricane impacts were associated with greater anxiety, depression, and medical symptoms controlling for age and number of prior hurricane experiences within two months of landfall. One year later, depression symptoms increased as well as the use of negative disengagement coping strategies for which stability of the work environment was protective. The findings suggest that advanced training in emergency response, organization and time management skills, time off and temporary replacement for personally impacted EAs, and workplace stability, including enhanced continuity of operations plans, represent critical elements of health prevention and early intervention for this occupational group.
Highlights
On 10 September 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a level four hurricane.Later that same day, Hurricane Irma made landfall again in Southwest Florida as a level three storm.As a result of hurricane-force winds, rain, and flooding, more than 6 million residents were left without power [1] and were forced to deal with structural damage to their homes, property, and workplaces.In the aftermath, there were fuel, food, and construction material shortages, as well as extensiveInt
T1 to T2 were assessed in the same participants (n = 20) using a Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) model in order to account for within-subject correlation due to paired data
$75,000 or greater and no children living within the household
Summary
On 10 September 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a level four hurricane.Later that same day, Hurricane Irma made landfall again in Southwest Florida as a level three storm.As a result of hurricane-force winds, rain, and flooding, more than 6 million residents were left without power [1] and were forced to deal with structural damage to their homes, property, and workplaces.In the aftermath, there were fuel, food, and construction material shortages, as well as extensiveInt. On 10 September 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a level four hurricane. Hurricane Irma made landfall again in Southwest Florida as a level three storm. As a result of hurricane-force winds, rain, and flooding, more than 6 million residents were left without power [1] and were forced to deal with structural damage to their homes, property, and workplaces. There were fuel, food, and construction material shortages, as well as extensive. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 1050; doi:10.3390/ijerph17031050 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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