Table 1.
Hazard | Health Impact and References | Vulnerable Subgroups |
---|---|---|
Mortality/injury
CDC/ATSDR Public Health Vulnerability Mapping System; Jonkman et al. (2009) [9]; Brunkard et al. (2008) [6]; and Rygel et al. (2006) [11] |
65+ years old Black/African-American Non-English speakers Poor housing quality |
|
Exposure to storm |
Acute myocardial infarction
Gautam et al. (2009) [21] |
Unemployed Substance abuse & smoking Uninsured |
Mental health effects
Picou and Hudson (2010) [78]; Kessler et al. (2008) [70]; Kim et al. (2008) [77]; and Cherry et al. (2010) [71] |
Women Black/African-American Low-income Age 40–59 for PTSD Self-report of poor physical health Pre-storm depression Age 45–90 for declines in working memory |
|
| ||
CO poisoning
Gulati et al. (2009) [31] |
Non-English speakers | |
Increase in EMS calls
Rand et al. (2005) [39]; Kile et al. (2005) [32] |
Patients who rely on electrically powered medical equipment | |
Power outage |
Diarrheal illness
Marx et al. (2006) [48] |
Meat/seafood consumers |
Respiratory hospital admissions
Lin et al. (2011) [41] |
Age 75+ | |
Excess mortality
Anderson and Bell (2012) [35] |
Age 65–74 | |
| ||
Ingestion (hand to mouth) of contaminated water |
Diarrhea, non-diarrhea GI morbidity, waterborne diseases
Charron et al. (2004) [62]; Curriero et al. (2001) |
Immunocompromised Elderly, young children |
| ||
Living in shelters |
Acute stress disorder
Mills et al. (2007) [79] Infectious disease |
Prior psychiatric history |
Murray et al. (2009) [61] | Infants | |
| ||
Displacement |
Interruption of chronic disease management
Anderson et al. (2009) [65]; Arrieta et al. (2009) [63] |
People with chronic illness such as cancer, hypertension, CV disease, respiratory illness, end stage renal disease, and AIDS Medicaid users People living alone |
| ||
Hip fracture (ages 65+)
Uscher-Pines et al. (2009) [69] |
Co-morbid conditions Older age Females Non-African-American race Prior history of hip fracture |
|
Long-term displacement/storm exposure |
Increased substance use** Cepeda et al. (2010) [80] |
Women High school level education and above |
Mental health effects
LaJoie et al. (2010) [81]; Abramson et al. (2008)[82] |
Women Greater storm exposure Weak social network Increased number of children in single household Fatalistic sentiments and poor self-efficacy |
*Selected health impacts and vulnerable subgroups lists depict range of outcomes but are not exhaustive.
**Among low-income, African-American substance users evacuated from New Orleans, LA, USA.