@article{ref1,
title="Resilience After Hurricane Katrina Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women",
journal="Women's health issues",
year="2010",
author="Harville, Emily W. and Xiong, Xu and Buekens, Pierre and Pridjian, Gabriella and Elkind-Hirsch, Karen",
volume="20",
number="1",
pages="20-27",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Although disaster causes distress, many disaster victims do not develop long-term psychopathology. Others report benefits after traumatic experiences (posttraumatic growth). The objective of this study was to examine demographic and hurricane-related predictors of resilience and posttraumatic growth. METHODS: We interviewed 222 pregnant southern Louisiana women and 292 postpartum women completed interviews at delivery and 8 weeks later. Resilience was measured by scores lower than a nonaffected population, using the Edinburgh Depression Scale and the Post-Traumatic Stress Checklist. Posttraumatic growth was measured by questions about perceived benefits of the storm. Women were asked about their experience of the hurricane, addressing danger, illness/injury, and damage. Chi-square tests and log-Poisson models were used to calculate associations and relative risks for demographics, hurricane experience, and mental health resilience and perceived benefit. FINDINGS: Thirty-five percent of pregnant and 34% of the postpartum women were resilient from depression, whereas 56% and 49% were resilient from posttraumatic stress disorder. Resilience was most likely among White women, older women, and women who had a partner. A greater experience of the storm, particularly injury/illness or danger, was associated with lower resilience. Experiencing damage because of the storm was associated with increased report of some perceived benefits. CONCLUSION: Many pregnant and postpartum women are resilient from the mental health consequences of disaster, and perceive benefits after a traumatic experience. Certain aspects of experiencing disaster reduce resilience, but may increase perceived benefit.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1049-3867",
doi="10.1016/j.whi.2009.10.002",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2009.10.002"
}