Disaster Survivors Research Articles

The detrimental effect of high mobility on long-term mental health trajectories following Hurricane Katrina.

This article uses longitudinal data from the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study to examine the impact of residential mobility on the long-term mental health trajectories of individuals displaced or severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Analyses begin with a descriptive understanding of residential mobility post-Katrina, including an explanation of who moved and how often in the 13 years after the storm, and determine which social groups were more likely to experience residential mobility than others. Secondly, it builds on these descriptive results by examining how residential mobility can influence the mental health of disaster survivors over time. Lastly, analyses determine how residential mobility rates differ depending on various social characteristics, and how such relationships influence mental health recovery. Results demonstrate that there is a statistically significant relationship between high rates of residential mobility and mental health recovery, and that particular social characteristics increase the risk for high residential mobility.

Post-Disaster Mental Health and Dietary Patterns among Older Survivors of an Earthquake and Tsunami.

Research suggests that cardiometabolic disease risks are elevated among survivors of natural disasters, possibly mediated by changes in diet. Using the Brief Dietary History Questionnaire, we examined (1) dietary patterns among older survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and (2) the contribution of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS)/depressive symptoms, as well as relocation to temporary housing on dietary patterns and (3) gender differences in the associations. Data came from a prospective cohort study of 1,375 survivors aged 65-89 years (44.6% male). PTSS/depression onset was evaluated in 2013, 2.5 years after the disaster. Dietary data was collected with a self-administered brief-type diet history questionnaire in 2020. A principal component analysis identified three posterior dietary patterns. Diet 1 consisted of high intake of vegetables, soy products, and fruits; Diet 2 consisted of carbohydrate-rich foods and snacks/sweets; Diet 3 consisted of high intake of alcoholic beverages, meat, and seafood. Least-squares linear regression revealed that individuals with PTSS/depression were less likely to exhibit Diet 1, while individuals with PTSS were more likely to exhibit Diet 2 and 3. Especially, males who had depression showed an unhealthy dietary pattern. Those who have lived in a trailer-style temporary housing reported less consumption of Diet 3. Survivors of disaster with symptoms of mental illness tended to exhibit less healthy dietary patterns after 9 years. Diet varied by type of post-disaster mental illness, gender, and current social circumstances. We lacked pre-disaster BDHQ data, which is a limitation.

Robust Moth-Inspired Algorithm for Odor Source Localization Using Multimodal Information.

Odor-source localization, by which one finds the source of an odor by detecting the odor itself, is an important ability to possess in order to search for leaking gases, explosives, and disaster survivors. Although many animals possess this ability, research on implementing olfaction in robotics is still developing. We developed a novel algorithm that enables a robot to localize an odor source indoors and outdoors by taking inspiration from the adult male silk moth, which we used as the target organism. We measured the female-localization behavior of the silk moth by using a virtual reality (VR) system to obtain the relationship between multiple sensory stimuli and behavior during the localization behavior. The results showed that there were two types of search active and inactive depending on the direction of odor and wind detection. In an active search, the silk moth moved faster as the odor-detection frequency increased, whereas in the inactive search, they always moved slower under all odor-detection frequencies. This phenomenon was constructed as a robust moth-inspired (RMI) algorithm and implemented on a ground-running robot. Experiments on odor-source localization in three environments with different degrees of environmental complexity showed that the RMI algorithm has the best localization performance among conventional moth-inspired algorithms. Analysis of the trajectories showed that the robot could move smoothly through the odor plume even when the environment became more complex. This indicates that switching and modulating behavior based on the direction of odor and wind detection contributes to the adaptability and robustness of odor-source localization.

Towards improving provision of wooden temporary housing: Analysis of repairs of temporary housing built by local contractors after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Japan has well-established legal frameworks, policies, and precedents to support housing reconstruction. Although the standard process for providing temporary housing is through the prefabricated builders association, after the devastating 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and tsunami the need for temporary housing exceeded the capacity of the prefabricated builders association members. In Fukushima Prefecture, 6639 out of 17,143 total temporary housing units were built by local contractors, thereby also playing a significant role in the local economy and regional redevelopment. Superior in heat insulation performance and comfort compared to prefabricated temporary housing, livability of wooden temporary housing was highly evaluated. However, as survivors needed to live in temporary housing for much longer than the design period of 2 years, the housing units deteriorated and needed repairs. To identify issues with design and construction, this research analyzed the types, number, and factors of repairs of wooden temporary housing in Fukushima after the GEJE between 2012 and 2017. Facing the reality of longer term occupancy and exposure to the elements, wooden temporary housing was vulnerable to failures caused by rain and leakage, low quality fittings, and compromised foundations. By understanding which parts of the buildings did not hold up over several years of inhabitation, design and construction can be improved in future construction of wooden temporary housing, by increasing the construction specifications, including requiring the use of high-quality and reliable products. With these improvements, wooden temporary housing can support not only disaster survivors, but also regional and local economies and sustainable timber building culture.

Hubungan Antara Resiliensi dengan Peran Ibu Pada Anak Penyintas Bencana di Hutan Lere

This study departs from the assumption that in order for survivors to rise from stress, they need support from their families, especially mothers, in increasing the resilience of survivors. The formulation of the problem from this research is how is the relationship between resilience and the role of mothers in disaster survivors in Lere Huntara. The method used in this thesis research is a quantitative research method, using data collection techniques through questionnaires or questionnaires as data collection techniques. This research was conducted at Lere Huntara. The population in this study were children who survived the disaster in Lere Huntara with the criteria for children who were in the age range of 7-12 years and domiciled in Lere Village, West Palu District, Palu City. The collected data was then analyzed by testing the validity, reliability testing, and testing assumptions using SPSS 16 for Windows assistance techniques. The results obtained based on the results of statistical data analysis obtained a value of Tcount 1.609 < Ttable 1.687 and has a significant value (sig) 0.117 in the Coefficients table with a value of (significant level) 0.05, meaning 0.117 > 0.05 then it can be interpreted that there is no there is a significant correlation between resilience and the role of mothers in Child Survivors in the Lere Huntara. Another finding of this study is based on the results of interviews conducted by researchers that in general the child survivors in Lere Huntara are not cared for by their parents.

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Women's Mental Health: A Longitudinal Study of Hurricane Katrina Survivors, 2005-2015.

There is limited knowledge on the relationship between neighborhood factors and mental health among displaced disaster survivors, particularly among women. Hurricane Katrina (Katrina) was the largest internal displacement in the United States (U.S.), which presented itself as a natural experiment. We examined the association between neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and mental health among women up to 10 years following Katrina (N = 394). We also investigated whether this association was modified by move status, comparing women who were permanently displaced to those who had returned to their pre-Katrina residence. We used hierarchical linear models to measure this association, using data from the American Community Survey and the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health study. Neighborhood SES was created as an index which represented social and economic characteristics of participants' neighborhoods. Mental health was measured using mental component summary (MCS) scores. Increased neighborhood SES was positively associated with mental health after controlling for age, race/ethnicity, economic positioning, time, and move status (19.6, 95% Confidence Interval: 5.8, 33.7). Neighborhood SES and mental health was also modified by move status. These findings underscore the need to better understand the impacts of socioeconomic conditions and health outcomes among women affected by natural disasters.

Association between Social Isolation and the Risk of Incident Functional Disability in Elderly Survivors after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Social isolation is frequently observed among survivors of disaster. However, there is limited evidence regarding the association between social isolation and adverse health outcomes among survivors of disaster. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between social isolation and the risk of incident functional disability (IFD) among survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1,039 residents aged ≥ 65 years who lived in four areas affected by the GEJE. Information regarding social isolation and other lifestyle factors was collected between June and November 2011 via a self-reported questionnaire. Social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6). Data regarding the incidence of functional disability were retrieved from the Long-term Care Insurance database. The Cox model was used to calculate multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for IFD. During 7,030 person-years of follow-up, 300 cases of IFD were certified (42.7disability events per 1,000 person-years). Social isolation was associated with increased risk of IFD in disaster survivors (HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.98-1.76). In addition, this association tended to be more remarkable among men and those whose houses were completely/seriously damaged. The present results suggest us that it would be possible to identify those who are more likely to be affected by social isolation after disaster. This finding would be useful in screening and supporting high risk group right after the occurrence of disaster.

Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Resilience among the Primary Survivors of Natural Disaster: A Study with Special Reference to Kerala Flood

Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Resilience among the Primary Survivors of Natural Disaster: A Study with Special Reference to Kerala Flood

Hurricane stress, cultural stress, and mental health among hurricane Maria migrants in the U.S. mainland.

Hurricane Maria (2017) caused great damage to Puerto Rico, undermining people's quality of life and forcing thousands to migrate to the U.S. mainland. Identifying individuals at elevated risk of suffering mental health problems as a function of being exposed to hurricane and cultural stress is crucial to reducing the burden of such health outcomes. The present study was conducted in 2020-2021 (3-4 years postdisaster) with 319 adult Hurricane Maria survivors on the U.S. mainland. We aimed to (a) identify latent stress subgroups, as defined by hurricane stress and cultural stress, and (b) map these latent stress subgroups or classes onto sociodemographic characteristics and mental health indicators (i.e., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety). We used latent profile analysis and multinomial regression modeling to accomplish the study aims. We extracted four latent classes: (a) low hurricane stress/low cultural stress (44.7%), (b) low hurricane stress/moderate cultural stress (38.7%), (c) high hurricane stress/moderate cultural stress (6.3%), and (d) moderate hurricane stress/high cultural stress (10.4%). Individuals in the low hurricane stress/low cultural stress class reported the highest household incomes and levels of English-language proficiency. The moderate hurricane stress/high cultural stress class reported the worst mental health outcomes. While postmigration cultural stress, as a chronic stressor, emerged as the most important predictor of poor mental health, hurricane stress, as an acute stressor that occurred several years earlier, emerged as less influential. Our findings might be used to inform mental health prevention experts who work with natural disaster survivors forced to migrate. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Analyzing the experiential meanings of survivors’ expressions of natural disasters in Indonesia

This study examines how natural disaster survivors in Indonesia construe their experiences regarding such calamities affecting them personally or environmentally from a linguistic angle. To this end, the direct expressions of the survivors were analyzed following the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) framework. The transitivity analysis of the survivors' expressions allows us to uncover the experiential meanings in terms of Processes, Participants, and Circumstances, which correspond to verbs, nouns and adjuncts in the grammar, respectively. The survivors' direct expressions were extracted from forty conveniently and criteria-based sampled Indonesian news articles. These articles vary in terms of the types and locations of natural disasters. In total, 195 expressions were found. While the results show that the survivors construe their experience in various ways, they predominantly construe their experience as material Processes or physical events that affect them personally and environmentally. The grammar of their expressions demonstrates that they mostly position the natural disasters as Actors and themselves as Goals in the events, attesting to the agentive power of nature over humans. The survivors also understood the natural disasters in abstract ways, using relational and existential Processes. This study contributes to the public narrative and collective memory in discourses related to natural disasters.

Posttraumatic Growth: The Role of Trauma Exposure and Family Hardiness Against Pasigala Liquefaction Survivors

The natural disaster occurred in PASIGALA in 2018 left a significant impact on the survivors of liquefaction. Research on recovery after a disaster focuses on the positive outcomes by survivors. This study aims to determine the role of trauma exposure and family hardiness in developing posttraumatic growth (PTG). Participants in this study were 147 adult survivors (Musia = 23.06, SD = 4.12) spread across Palu City and Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi. PTG was measured by Posttraumatic Growth Inventory Short-Form (PTGI-SF), trauma exposure was measured by modification of the Earthquake Exposure Questionnaire and Impact of Event Scale, and family hardiness was measured by Family Hardiness Index (FHI). The hierarchical regression test found that trauma exposure and family hardiness significantly predicted 7% and 17.2% of posttraumatic growth variances when other variables were controlled. Then, the mediation test showed that family hardiness had a significant or partial role as a mediator between trauma exposure and PTG. The more trauma exposures experienced by individuals when natural disasters occurred, with a higher level of family hardiness, individuals would achieve a higher PTG condition (c = 0.759, p < 0.01) than if only considering the role of trauma exposure (c' = 0.301, p < 0.01). This shows that family hardiness is an important factor to consider when assisting liquefaction disaster survivors who are exposed to traumatic events in developing posttraumatic growth

Resilience in Recovery? Understanding the Extent, Structure, and Operations of Nonprofits Meant to Address Disaster Survivors’ Unmet Needs

Climate change is increasing the likelihood and magnitude of disaster impacts. The nonprofit sector’s ability to address disaster survivors’ needs will become an increasingly important aspect of adapting to a changing climate. Disaster recovery also provides time for nonprofits to affect community resilience to future disasters and climate change. This article analyzes a unique phenomenon of the sector during disaster recovery: Long-term Recovery Groups. These groups are increasingly encouraged by government and national nonprofits, yet little academic research exists on them. We assess the existence and location of groups, their missions and tasks, and their legal structure. We find heterogeneity in structure and location but similarity in stated goals of addressing failures of government and private sector recovery practices. These groups emerge, as expected, in areas with disaster losses and in areas with slightly greater social vulnerability. Most groups, though, miss the opportunity to include climate change as part of their mission.

The City of the Missing: Poetic Responses to the Grenfell Fire

This essay is about the representation and recognition of the victims and survivors of the Grenfell fire disaster in poetry written since June 14, 2017. It begins by arguing that the fire was caused not by a lack of knowledge, but by a refusal to acknowledge the voices of the community. It shows how this refusal of recognition was both direct and systemic, slow and immediate, situating the fire in the recent and long-term contexts of austerity and the hostile environment, the demonization of social housing, urbanization and the rise of slums, and the logics of colonialism and racial capitalism. The essay then turns a series of poetic responses to the fire, read and discussed mostly in the order of their publication. These include poems by Ben Okri, Roger Robinson, and Jay Bernard; spoken word performances by Potent Whisper; and two tracks by Lowkey. Through close and careful readings of this work, the essay identifies a hauntological politics of acknowledgment and memorialization that refuses social death and galvanizes social life.

Landslide disasters in eastern Uganda: post-traumatic stress disorder and its correlates among survivors in Bududa district

BackgroundPost-traumatic stress disorder is the commonly reported psychiatric morbidity among the survivors of natural disasters. However, its prevalence particularly in Bududa, Eastern Uganda is largely unknown.Aims and objectivesTo assess the prevalence and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder among Bududa landslide survivors.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 587 participants. The study setting was the Bududa district, with a multistage sampling method. Pre-tested, administered interviewer PTSD Checklist–civilian version was used as screening tools between 4th and April 29th 2022. Data were analyzed using descriptive and binary logistic approaches at a 5% level of significance.ResultsOf the study participants, 276 (46.8%) had PTSD symptoms. Among the respondents, 250 (42.6%) were in the age range of 40 and above, 396 (67.3%) were female, 284 (48.4%) had no formal education, and 333 (56.7%) were married. Results showed that male gender (AOR: 0.47; 95% CI 0.31–0.73; p = 0.001), widowhood (AOR: 0.44; 95% CI 0.21–0.94; p = 0.034), lack of counseling (AOR: 0.44; 95% CI 0.21–0.94; p = 0.001), and duration since the landslide (AOR: 0.35; 95% CI 0.23–0.52; p = 0.001) were associated with an increased likelihood of screening for PTSD in landslide survivors.ConclusionLandslides pose significant effects on the mental health of survivors. In the present study, the extent of PTSD among survivors is substantially high. male gender,, widowhood, lack of counselling, low social support, and duration since the landslide were significantly associated with PTSD. Effective screening and awareness programs among survivors should be strengthened for the prevention and treatment of psychiatric morbidity among the survivors of landslides.

Legal aid amid bureaucracy

Abstract Disaster lawyers navigate bureaucratic impediments to insurance claims and settlement and federal recovery and relief, and they act as third-party facilitators for disaster-affected clients to help enable their survival efforts. The roles of such lawyers in navigating paperwork and bureaucratic processes on behalf of survivors, while assisting them in meeting basic daily needs, has become seen as being integral to recovery in these processes. We utilise findings from semi-structured interviews with disaster law practitioners working with disaster survivors in the south-eastern United States (SEUS) to examine the bureaucratic socio-legal life of disasters. We marshal bureaucratic violence literature to analyse disaster law practitioners’ perspectives of the socio-legal nature of disasters in the SEUS, demonstrating that the bureaucratic technologies of recovery are primary obstacles to expedient recovery and successful legal work with survivors.

Dukungan Psikososial Bagi Penyintas Bencana Pasca Erupsi Gunung Semeru

The eruption of Mount Semeru did not only have a physical impact. Victims can experience serious long-term psychological effects and affect their psychological well-being. The psychological impact that is allowed to continue will be permanent and disrupt the survival of disaster survivors. Therefore, psychosocial support is carried out to support the psychological recovery of the survivors of the Mount Semeru eruption. Methods of self-motivation and play therapy are used to achieve these goals. The stages of implementing this activity include preparation, program implementation, and evaluation. The preparation phase of the team conducts a needs analysis to identify problems, coordinate with various parties and map out infrastructure. The implementation phase includes socialization, preparation of materials and training programs. The evaluation stage is carried out to measure the success of the service program implementation. The results showed that the activities carried out at SDN 1 and SDN 2 Supiturang on 5-6 August 2022 ran smoothly. Most of the participants were children who followed enthusiastically from the beginning to the end of the activity. At the evaluation stage, it was known that in teaching and learning activities the children were very enthusiastic and emotional expression went well after this service activity was held.

Children's disaster trauma in Haiti: Configurations of similarities and dissimilarities in experiences.

The 2010 earthquake in Haiti, an urgent crisis, occurred in the context of persistent social dysfunctions, amplifying both the chronic poor living conditions and adversities for children and families. The present study sought to gain better understanding of the ways Haitian children respond during times of adversity. The House-Tree-Person (HTP) drawing test, culturally adapted for Haitians (Roysircar et al., 2017, 2019a, 2019b), was used to assess Resilience and Vulnerability in 75 Haitian children's 225 drawings to map the spatial configurations of their trauma experiences in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake and continuous trauma. Assessment data also included interviews with child self-report measures of self-esteem perceived by self, peers, and family; posttraumatic symptoms; and self-concept. Data analyses involved standardization of sample scores and reliability tests. Classical multidimensional scaling (MDS) examined relationships among variables of resilience, vulnerability, self-esteem, posttraumatic symptoms, and self-concept. MDS stress was reduced considerably with two dimensions, and there was minimal further reduction in stress with three or more dimensions. Furthermore, the two latent dimensions in Haitian children's mental health, called Feeling Unloved and Balance of Good and Evil, were interpretable within the conceptualization of the study and the literature on Haitians' and other disaster survivors' adaptive worldview. The authors' long-term investment in the people of Haiti increased trust, participation, research rigor, and cultural alignment of interventions, including the adaption of the HTP as a culturally sensitive and clinically useful instrument. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparison of Mental Health among Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Power Plant Accident Survivors in the Long Term after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Even now, ten years after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), thousands of residents of Fukushima Prefecture are still living as evacuees. To understand the mental health states and needs for psychological care of the survivors, we conducted a questionnaire survey of survivors who were evacuated from Fukushima to Ibaraki due to the nuclear power plant accident and of the residents of two areas in Ibaraki where damage was particularly severe due to the tsunami or liquefaction. Our results show that stress related to participants' hometowns and to the disaster was a risk factor for depression and post-traumatic stress among the survivors in the medium to long term in all regions examined. Other risk factors for post-traumatic stress differed by region. This study shows that in a complex disaster such as the GEJE, where damage is widespread, the causes of damage and the experiences of disaster survivors differ greatly from region to region and that risk factors for depression and post-traumatic stress among disaster survivors over the medium to long term may also differ. To provide appropriate care to disaster survivors, it is necessary to determine what is causing the risk of depression and post-traumatic stress at any given time and in specific regions.

Rahat-Sahayog (relief support): examining disaster emergency response in the aftermath of the Nepal Earthquake 2015

PurposeThis paper aims to critically examine the post-disaster emergency response amongst marginalised and disadvantaged social groups following the 2015 Nepal Earthquake (7.8 Mw).Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research method was employed by conducting interviews with disaster survivors from marginalised and ethnic social groups, humanitarian aid workers and government officials in the four districts worst hit by the 2015 Nepal Earthquake.FindingsThis research found that community members demonstrated remarkable cooperation in the aftermath of the disaster; however, caste-based discrimination still manifested in post-earthquake emergency environments. Further, this research showed that the engagement of government and local and international humanitarian organisations was noteworthy in the earthquake emergency response in Nepal as it localised relief packages and adapted the assistance corresponding to the fast-changing post-disaster environments. However, some relief materials were culturally inappropriate and climatically unsuitable. This paper also shows that the poor dissemination of relief distribution plans, resource duplication and ineffective targeting disproportionately impacted the oppressed and marginalised households in receiving humanitarian assistance.Originality/valueStudies have been undertaken on the emergency response to the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, however, few have focussed on the lived experience of marginalised and disadvantaged social groups. Further, this research builds on, and contributes to, the humanitarian mobile sovereignty discourse.

Humanitarian Logistics Distribution In Natural Disaster Risk Mitigation In Central Sulawesi

This research aims to find out the distribution model of humanitarian logistics applied when dealing with natural disasters in Pasigala (Palu, Sigi, and Donggala) and to find out the optimal humanitarian logistics distribution model in dealing with natural disasters in Pasigala, Central Sulawesi. The paradigm in this research is based on the phenomenological paradigm and is qualitative. The research was conducted in the affected area of Pasigala through data collection techniques in the form of interviews with informants consisting of disaster survivors and disaster management institutions from both government and non-government. The analysis tool in this research uses the NVIVO 12 Plus software. The results of the research show that the humanitarian logistics distribution model that has been carried out by the relevant institutions has a different structure. The distribution of logistics is still considered not optimal because there are obstacles that have an impact on new problems such as overlapping logistical assistance in several areas therefore it is necessary to propose a redesign of the humanitarian logistics distribution model based on the results of the analysis that has been carried out