Disaster Exposure Research Articles

The measurement of agricultural disaster vulnerability in China and implications for land-supported agricultural resilience building

Climate change has recently induced an increase in natural disasters worldwide, which has affected agriculture, a sector highly sensitive to climatic alterations. The paper measures agricultural disaster vulnerability of China in the period 2000–2020 by establishing vulnerability assessment system, and examines how agricultural infrastructure correlates with agricultural disaster vulnerability by constructing grey relational analysis model. Research results indicate that China's agricultural disaster vulnerability presents an overall decreasing trend during the research period. This is mainly attributed to the decreased disaster exposure and increased adaptability to disaster. Spatially, the agricultural disaster vulnerability in the northeastern, central and southwestern regions of China is higher than other regions. Agricultural transportation and communication infrastructure are found to be more influential to agricultural disaster vulnerability followed by irrigation and power facilities. Implications are proposed to enhance agricultural resilience to climate disasters in China.

Measurement and impact analysis of social vulnerability to geological disasters in Guizhou Province, China

Investigating social vulnerability is a crucial aspect of attaining an in-depth understanding of disasters and disaster risk. This study developed a measurement framework for social vulnerability to geological disasters, obtained a comprehensive social vulnerability index, and compared the spatial distribution patterns of fatalities, social vulnerability, and geological disaster-prone zones. These efforts assisted in determining the strength and character of the relationship between geological disaster fatality risk and social vulnerability at the county level. The findings show that: (1) the social vulnerability to geological disasters index varies significantly between counties. High social vulnerability is primarily concentrated in Bijie City, Guizhou province, which shows concentrated clustering. Conversely, low social vulnerability is mainly concentrated in Guiyang City: (2) the spatial distribution patterns reveal the limitations of disaster exposure in explaining fatality risk and demonstrate the ability of social vulnerability to amplify disaster risk; (3) the zero-inflated negative binomial regression model fit the data significantly better than the negative binomial regression model, suggesting that for every one unit increase in the social vulnerability index, there is a 6.33% increase in the risk of fatalities, holding all other variables constant. This study establishes a specific framework for measuring social vulnerability to geological disasters and provides new evidence of how social vulnerability influences disaster risk intensity. The county-level spatial measurement results can further assist disaster management personnel in formulating more localized mitigation strategies. The findings will further support the identification of core remediation sites and the implementation of management and relocation (avoidance) projects during Guizhou Province’s 14th Five-Year Plan for geological disaster prevention and control.

Exposure to Multiple Natural Disasters and Externalising and Internalising Behavior: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents

PurposeAs natural disasters become more frequent and more severe, there is a corresponding need to understand their relationship with child and adolescent mental health, and in particular, to understand exposure to multiple natural disasters. This study assesses the relationship between exposure to both single and multiple disasters and adolescent internalising and externalising behavior. MethodsThe study used five waves of a nationally representative longitudinal Australian dataset. Exposure to sudden-onset (fires, floods, storms) and slow-onset (drought) disasters was collected across five waves. Adolescent internalising and externalising behavior collected in the final three waves using the self-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Random effects regressions assessed sudden- and slow-onset disasters and multiple disaster exposure, controlling for geographic and socioeconomic variables. ResultsExposure to multiple disasters was associated with adverse adolescent outcomes. Two or more sudden- and slow-onset disaster exposures in the last 12 months was related to more conduct problems. Exposure to multiple sudden-onset disasters in the current and previous waves was related to increased problems with peers. A single exposure to either sudden- or slow-onset disasters was not associated with Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire outcomes. DiscussionThe study findings suggest that multiple exposure to disasters has a negative association with adolescent wellbeing. These findings suggest that, rather than adapting to disasters, youth exposed to multiple disasters suffer more than their peers, including peers exposed to a single disaster.

P3.01F.02 Retrospective Characterization of Patients with Primary Lung Cancer Related to World Trade Center Disaster Exposure

P3.01F.02 Retrospective Characterization of Patients with Primary Lung Cancer Related to World Trade Center Disaster Exposure

Trust a few: Natural disasters and the disruption of trust in Africa

Individuals are at their most mental plasticity in their impressionable years (ages 18–25 years) forming long-term attitudes and behaviours essential to functioning in a society, such as trust. In this paper we ask how exposure to natural disasters within the impressionable years may affect the formation of trust by matching data from over 1,000 disaster occurrences with data from 88,670 individuals across 36 African nations. Exploiting the frequency of disaster exposure across the impressionable years, we show that disaster exposure has a negative and significant association with generalized trust. Additionally, we show that disasters experienced during the impressionable years have an impact on other dimensions of interpersonal and institutional trust. Our findings are robust to a battery of tests and add to the evidence base on the lasting impacts of natural disasters on individuals and societies.

A Prospective Examination of Mental Health Trajectories of Disaster-Exposed Young Adults in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This longitudinal study examines young adult mental health (MH) trajectories after exposure to natural disasters (i.e., hurricanes, wildfires, mudslides) across four waves, two pre- and two during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n = 205) answered questions about anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) across Waves (Ws) s 1-4 and pre-pandemic factors (prior trauma history, disaster exposure, life stressors since disaster) at Wave (W) 1. Hierarchical linear modeling was conducted to examine MH trajectories and associations with pre-pandemic factors. Only the PTSS trajectory significantly differed across all Ws, with the largest increase between Ws 2 and 3 (pre- and during-pandemic time points). Prior trauma history and life stressors since the disaster were significantly associated with all MH trajectory intercepts but not growth rates.

Demographic, Environmental, and Psychosocial Influences on Resilience Toward Chronic Stress.

As studied previously, chronic stress environments lead to the formation of distinctive resilience groupings when related to individual outcomes among participants. The majority of the population has decreased mental and physical strength during prolonged periods of mental distress but returns to baseline status when those stressors are removed. Others have increased and decreased mental fortitude despite the removal of stressors. Our hypothesis is that certain demographic, environmental, and/or transgenerational aspects are associated with resilience or lack thereof in populations with a history of chronic stress. The end goal is the early identification of at-risk populations to decrease adverse outcomes and improve quality of life. In this review, we looked at 17 studies to gain a greater understanding of which factors influence individual resilience. The factors found to have a positive relationship with resilience were religion, cognitive function, socioeconomic status, marriage, psychological functioning, positive coping mechanisms, and relationships; the negative were medical diagnoses, violence exposure, female sex, stressors/trauma, disaster exposure, and negative coping mechanisms. During our research, we found that transgenerational aspects such as race/ethnicity, occupation, education, age, substance use, and physical location had mixed results across multiple studies. These findings suggest the need for future original research to allow for a definitive understanding of populations resilient to chronic stress.

Population-level effects of Hurricane Sandy on adolescent health

BackgroundDisasters are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. Youth are the largest and most vulnerable group exposed to disasters. More evidence is needed regarding how youth mental health and health behaviors vary based on disaster exposure, how mental health influences health behaviors, and how diverse groups of youth may be differentially affected. MethodsUsing data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Federal Emergency Management Agency, we examined the impact of Hurricane Sandy (2012) on mental health (sadness, suicidality) and health behaviors (substance use, physical activity, screen time, sexual behaviors) of 240,365 youth. Difference-in-differences regression analyses evaluated pre-disaster (2005–2011) and post-disaster (2013–2019) changes. ResultsThere were 83,442 (34.7 %) adolescents (51.2 % female, 18.1 % non-Hispanic White) located in 6 districts exposed to Hurricane Sandy and 156,923 (65.3 %) adolescents located in 13 non-exposed districts. Exposure was associated with differences in substance use, physical (in)activity, and risky sexual behaviors, but not mental health outcomes. Mental health did not moderate the association between disaster exposure and health behaviors. Hispanic adolescents and those identifying as Other races/ethnicities were most vulnerable to post-disaster negative health outcomes. LimitationsStudy limitations include questionnaire design, cross-sectional data, sampling, and possible response biases. ConclusionsFindings provide critical information about youth mental health and health behaviors following disasters, as well as how youth may differ in their responses. Findings provide guidance for early identification and resource allocation for youth at higher risk for post-disaster health issues.

Beyond disaster: investigating the varied responses of regional entrepreneurship to natural disasters

This study investigates the intricate relationship between natural disasters and regional entrepreneurship in Türkiye, a developing nation highly vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, and other hazards. The study extends Hierarchical Multiple Regression (HMR) analysis (1990–2020, 81 NUTS-III regions), beyond existing literature focused on physical damage. Our findings reveal a counterintuitive effect: while the number of disasters and total property damage correlate positively with regional entrepreneurship, human life loss has a negative impact. This suggests a complex interplay between destruction and entrepreneurial spirit. Further analyses using Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) and MANOVA-ANOVA for robustness check explores regional characteristics that contribute to entrepreneurial resilience against natural disasters. By comparing regions categorized by entrepreneurial performance and disaster exposure, the study identifies key differentiators. Regions with supportive business environments demonstrate greater resilience, highlighting the crucial role of fostering a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in mitigating disaster effects. This research fills a critical gap by examining the understudied relationship between natural disasters and regional entrepreneurship, going beyond individual firm-level studies. By analysing interregional disparities and resilience factors, this paper provides valuable insights for both regional development and entrepreneurship & resilience literature. It emphasizes the importance of human capital alongside disaster preparedness and institutional quality in building regional resilience.

Effect of wildfire on the prevalence of opioid misuse through anxiety among young adults in the United States: a modeling study

BackgroundExposure to climate change events like wildfires can lead to health and mental health problems. While conceptual frameworks have been hypothesized describing the potential relationship between disaster exposure and substance use, the association remains under-researched and unquantified.MethodsWe constructed a quantitative portrayal of one proposed conceptual framework that focuses on the intermediary role of anxiety. We used the Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the impact of wildfire exposure on opioid misuse outcomes through increased anxiety. We searched for and extracted prior empirical evidence on the associations between wildfire anxiety and anxiety-opioid misuse. Three scenarios were devised: in S1 the impact of wildfire on opioid misuse was limited to increasing anxiety incidence; in S2 we also considered the additive role of altered anxiety phenotype; and in S3 we further considered the role of increased opioid-related consequences of pre-existing anxiety due to wildfire exposure.ResultsModels show that the prevalence of opioid misuse post-wildfire may rise to 6.0%-7.2% from a baseline of 5.3%. In S1, the opioid misuse prevalence ratio was 1.12 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 1.00 – 1.27). The two exploratory scenarios, with less stringent assumptions, yielded prevalence ratios of 1.23 (95% UI: 1.00 – 1.51) and 1.34 (95% UI: 1.11 – 1.63).ConclusionsOur modeling study suggests that exposure to wildfires may elevate opioid misuse through increasing anxiety incidence and severity. This can lead to substantial health burdens, possibly beyond the duration of the wildfire event, which may offset recent gains in opioid misuse prevention.

The Role of Merapi FM Community Radio in Disaster Mitigation At Merapi Slope Residential Area Cluntang, Musuk, Boyolali

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of Merapi FM community radio in reducing disaster risk in the potential disaster exposure area of the Musuk Boyolali sub-district. This research method is empirical research or field research with a qualitative approach. Qualitative research is research that produces descriptive data in the form of written or spoken words from people and behaviour that can be understood. This approach is data collection in the form of oral, written, and also in the form of image documentation. Data from a qualitative descriptive approach can come from interviews, photographs, field notes, video recordings, memos and official documents. The results showed that the community plays an active role in disaster risk reduction efforts in the Cluntang area, namely through disaster response training, environmental preservation, trauma healing, and regional arts and culture. Based on the results of the research, the role of Merapi FM community radio in mitigation and disaster risk reduction in the Cluntang area is (1) Carrying out its role and function by facilitating the needs of the community to reduce the risk of the Merapi disaster, (2) Mobilising the community to be directly involved in all activities, starting from on-air and off-air activities.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in the aftermath of the Turkey earthquake: exploring the role of demographics, level of exposure, and personality traits

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an important mental disorder that can develop after mass traumas such as earthquakes. In our study, we aimed to investigate the development of PTSD after the Turkey earthquake (6 February 2023) and its association with some demographic variables, personality traits, and psychological vulnerability. Method 547 participants completed assessments of personality, disaster exposure, and PTSD symptoms. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify predictors of PTSD symptoms. Results PTSD scores were higher in women, single people, those with low educational level, those who witnessed someone else's injury or death, those who were injured, and those whose homes were destroyed. Physical injury, conscientiousness, marital status, income, and agreeableness predicted PTSD. Among these variables, physical injury was the strongest predictor of PTSD. Conclusions Psychological vulnerability, conscientiousness, physical injury, employment, witnessing someone else's injury, gender, and emotional stability predicted PTSD score in a significant way. Physical injury, conscientiousness, marital status, income, agreeableness predicted PTSD in a significant way.

Factor Analysis of Housing Choice in Flood Prone Areas: Focusing on The Effect of Place Attachment on Risk Perception

Coastal regions are particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change because of their geographical proximity to the sea. Despite this vulnerability, these areas continue to be perceived and utilized primarily as recreational spaces where individuals can own and enjoy scenic landscapes rather than as zones at risk from climatic threats. The paradoxical demand for coastal amenities in spite of the risk of flooding is investigated in this study by applying place attachment factors from a sociopsychological angle. We employed the theories of vulnerability, risk perception, and place attachment to build a conceptual framework and formulate hypotheses regarding their relationships. Our analysis, based on a structural equation model, showed that people accept these risks for the benefits of living near the coast because their perception of risk is increased by disaster exposure but lessened by place attachment. These findings highlight the urgent need for urban planning strategies that mitigate the risks associated with climate change.

The mutual influence of parent-child maladaptive emotion regulation on posttraumatic stress following flood exposure.

Decades of disaster research support the influence parents have on their children's adaptation. Recently, research has shifted to focus on disasters as a whole family experience. Using the actor-partner interdependence model, this study examines maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies in parents and children and how these strategies influence their own and one another's posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). The present study includes 485 parent-child dyads who experienced the 2015-2016 Texas floods. The majority of parents identified as mothers (66.3%), with a male child (52.8%) whose average age was 13.75 years. Mplus was used to identify the models and evaluate differences between each cognitive emotion regulation strategy across parent-child dyads in the high disaster exposure group compared to all other levels of exposure (other-exposure). Odds ratios examined differences not captured by the actor-partner interdependence model. Support for interdependence was found for the other-exposure group, suggesting parents and children mutually influence each other's PTSS by their own cognitive emotion regulation. No interdependence was found in the high-exposure group. However, high-exposure child actor effects were found for self-blame and other-blame, and child partner effects were only found for self-blame. Parent actor effects were only significant for catastrophizing and parent partner effects for catastrophizing and rumination. Odds ratios for the high-exposure group found that only child self-blame influenced parent PTSS, and only parent rumination and catastrophizing influenced child PTSS. Implications for supporting families after disasters are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The causal effect of mental health on labor market outcomes: The case of stress-related mental disorders following a human-made disaster

As disasters increase due to climate change, population density, epidemics, and technology, information is needed about postdisaster consequences for people's mental health and how stress-related mental disorders affect multiple spheres of life, including labor-market attachment. We tested the causal hypothesis that individuals who developed stress-related mental disorders as a consequence of their disaster exposure experienced subsequent weak labor-market attachment and poor work-related outcomes. We leveraged a natural experiment in an instrumental variables model, studying a 2004 fireworks factory explosion disaster that precipitated the onset of stress-related disorders (posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression) among individuals in the local community (N = 86,726). We measured labor-market outcomes using longitudinal population-level administrative data: sick leave, unemployment benefits, early retirement pension, and income from wages from 2007 to 2010. We found that individuals who developed a stress-related disorder after the disaster were likely to go on sickness benefit, both in the short- and long-term, were likely to use unemployment benefits and to lose wage income in the long term. Stress-related disorders did not increase the likelihood of early retirement. The natural experiment design minimized the possibility that omitted confounders biased these effects of mental health on work outcomes. Addressing the mental health and employment needs of survivors after a traumatic experience may improve their labor-market outcomes and their nations' economic outputs.

The similarities and differences of network structures of posttraumatic stress symptoms among Chinese adolescents exposed to three different types of trauma.

The aim of this study is to conduct network analysis to identify the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms network structures in adolescents across three types of trauma events. After screening 20,802 students aged 10-18 years old from 27 schools, our analysis enrolled 2,234 traumatized students who were exposed to accidents (n = 622), natural disasters (n = 211), and any severe disease (n = 1,401). We conducted a network analysis to compare the PTSD symptom structures across three types of trauma events. Our findings reveal that negative emotional symptoms, such as trauma-related negative emotions, are central symptoms in adolescents across three exposures. Strong connections (i.e., trauma-related amnesia [D1] and blame of self or others [D3]) in the network were observed in the accident exposure group. Furthermore, the overall network structures in adolescents may be across exposures while the strength in edges varied in different traumas. Negative connections (i.e., nightmares [B2] and blame of self or others [D3]) showed up in disease and disaster exposure groups, while there was no negative connection in the accident exposure group. Future studies should pay more attention to central symptoms like negative trauma-related emotions, which could be a target symptom of PTSD related to accidents, natural disasters, and any severe disease among adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A pilot study of a brief and scalable psychosocial intervention for children and adolescents following disasters.

Following disaster exposure, a significant proportion of children/adolescents will develop levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) that do not meet diagnostic threshold for PTSD, but which cause ongoing distress. This paper describes the development and pilot testing of a brief, scalable, psychosocial intervention. SOLAR-Kids/Teens has been designed to be delivered by non-mental health professionals ('coaches') to children/adolescents experiencing moderate levels of PTSS following disasters. An international collaboration of experts developed The Skills fOr Life Adjustment and Resilience (SOLAR) for Kids and Teens programs. The programs were piloted-using a pre-post mixed methods design-with 10 children and adolescents (8-18 years), with the aims of examining the feasibility of the program's delivery model as well as the program's potential usefulness. The pilot data indicated that after 1 day of training and with ongoing supervision, the SOLAR program was safe and feasible for coaches to deliver to children/adolescents experiencing PTSS. Coaches reported increased knowledge (p = .001), confidence (p = .001) and skills (p = .006). The programs were acceptable to coaches, children/adolescents and parents. Parents and children/adolescents reported reductions in trauma and anxiety symptoms from pre- to post-treatment, with moderate to large effect sizes. The preliminary findings demonstrate that the SOLAR-Kids/Teens program is feasible, acceptable and safe to be delivered by trained non-mental health professionals to children and adolescents experiencing PTSS and anxiety following disaster exposure. Randomized controlled trials are required to evaluate the efficacy of the SOLAR-Kids/Teens programs.

Adolescents' Tsunami Exposure and Mental Health Consequences: Protective Role of Cultural Coping Strategies.

There is a knowledge gap regarding the link between disaster exposure and adolescent mental health problems in developing countries. This study examines the case of Sri Lanka to investigate (a) the immediate and long-term mental health impact of the 2004 tsunami disaster on adolescents and (b) the potential moderating effects of unique cultural and family practices that prevail in Sri Lanka. This study used a random sample of 160 adolescents (ages 12-19) and their mothers who were exposed to the tsunami disaster while living in a southern Sri Lankan village and provided prospective data immediately after the disaster (2005) and three years later (2008). A cross-culturally validated instrument assessed adolescent-mother dyads' tsunami exposure, stressful loss, family cultural rituals and familism, and adolescent mental health. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that exposure and perceptions of tsunami-induced stressful experiences were associated with early and later mental health problems in adolescents. In addition, this study found that unique cultural practices and familism moderated the link between adolescent tsunami exposure, stressful experiences, and levels of PTSD and depressive symptoms. The findings of this study could be utilized to develop prevention and intervention programs that are contextually and culturally valid and empirically supported, which would be more effective for trauma-exposed adolescents in developing countries.

Climate-related disaster exposure and regional migration

Climate-related disaster exposure and regional migration

'School-based screen-and-treat': An effective blueprint for expediating access to care in children experiencing PTSD following disasters.

While 5%-10% of children exposed to natural disasters develop PTSD, few children access support. This paper reports on the proactive 'screen-and-treat' approach deployed following devastating floods in Queensland, Australia, in 2011 and presents results for children in the Lockyer Valley (the most impacted community). Open treatment study (2011-2012) within a government-funded post-disaster service response. One hundred and fifty children (7-12 years) completed pencil-and-paper screening (PTSD, anxiety and depression) at school. Eighty children endorsing either clinical levels of PTSD, or moderate levels of PTSD and clinical levels of either anxiety or depression, and their parents, completed a structured diagnostic interview. Forty-eight children were offered a free trauma-focused CBT intervention. The parents of 19 children accepted this offer. Most clinicians were clinical psychology trainees from local universities. All measures were repeated at post-treatment, 6- and 12-month follow-up. Note: The term 'parents' is used to refer to the wide variety of people serving as a child's primary caregiver. Pre-treatment, all children met diagnostic criteria for full (N = 17) or sub-clinical PTSD. By post-treatment, 10.5% met criteria for PTSD, with 0% meeting criteria at the 12-month follow-up. The incidence of anxiety and depressive disorders also reduced significantly. There were no differences in outcomes for children seen by trainees compared to experienced clinicians. A school-based screen-and-treat approach offers potential as a means of identifying and treating children following natural disaster exposure. However, engagement of families at the outset, and when offering intervention was challenging. Postgraduate trainees represent an effective potential workforce in a post-disaster environment.