Citation

Subaiya S, Moussavi C, Velasquez A, Stillman J. Am. J. Public Health 2014; 104(4): 632-638.

Affiliation

Saleena Subaiya and Anthony Velasquez are with the Department of Emergency Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, New York, NY. Cyrus Moussavi is with NowThis News, New York City, NY. Joshua Stillman is with the New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center, New York.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2013.301668

PMID

24524494

Abstract

Objectives. We conducted a rapid needs assessment in the Rockaway Peninsula-one of the areas of New York City most severely affected by Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012-to assess basic needs and evaluate for an association between socioeconomic status (SES) and storm recovery. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional survey within the Rockaways 3 weeks after the hurricane made landfall to elicit information regarding basic utilities, food access, health, relief-effort opinions, and SES. We used a modified cluster sampling method to select households with a goal of 7 to 10 surveys per cluster. Results. Thirty to fifty percent of households were without basic utilities including electricity, heat, and telephone services. Lower-income households were more likely to worry about food than higher-income households (odds ratio = 4.5; 95% confidence interval = 1.43, 15.23; P = .01). A post-storm trend also existed among the lower-income group towards psychological disturbances. Conclusions. Storm preparation should include disseminating information regarding carbon monoxide and proper generator use, considerations for prescription refills, neighborhood security, and location of food distribution centers. Lower-income individuals may have greater difficulty meeting their needs following a natural disaster, and recovery efforts may include prioritization of these households. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print February 13, 2014: e1-e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301668).

Language: en