@article{ref1,
title="Mental health outcomes among adults in Galveston and Chambers counties after hurricane Ike",
journal="Disaster medicine and public health preparedness",
year="2012",
author="Ruggiero, Kenneth J. and Gros, Kirstin and McCauley, Jenna L. and Resnick, Heidi S. and Morgan, Mark and Kilpatrick, Dean G. and Muzzy, Wendy and Acierno, Ron E.",
volume="6",
number="1",
pages="26-32",
abstract="Objective:  To examine the mental health effects of Hurricane Ike, the third costliest hurricane in US history, which devastated the upper Texas coast in September 2008. Method:  Structured telephone interviews assessing immediate effects of Hurricane Ike (damage, loss, displacement) and mental health diagnoses were administered via random digit-dial methods to a household probability sample of 255 Hurricane Ike-affected adults in Galveston and Chambers counties. Results:  Three-fourths of respondents evacuated the area because of Hurricane Ike and nearly 40% were displaced for at least one week. Postdisaster mental health prevalence estimates were 5.9% for posttraumatic stress disorder, 4.5% for major depressive episode, and 9.3% for generalized anxiety disorder. Bivariate analyses suggested that peritraumatic indicators of hurricane exposure severity-such as lack of adequate clean clothing, electricity, food, money, transportation, or water for at least one week-were most consistently associated with mental health problems. Conclusions:  The significant contribution of factors such as loss of housing, financial means, clothing, food, and water to the development and/or maintenance of negative mental health consequences highlights the importance of systemic postdisaster intervention resources targeted to meet basic needs in the postdisaster period.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1935-7893",
doi="10.1001/dmp.2012.7",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/dmp.2012.7"
}