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01-12-2010 | Original Paper

The Association Between Disaster-Related Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes Among Drug Using African American Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

Authors: Alice Cepeda, Jarron M. Saint Onge, Charles Kaplan, Avelardo Valdez

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 6/2010

Abstract

This article provides a detailed examination of the relationship between disaster-related experiences and mental health outcomes among a sample of drug using African American Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Face-to-face structured interviews were administered to Hurricane Katrina evacuees (n = 350) residing in voucher assisted apartment complexes in Houston, Texas (2006–2007). We use Ordinary Least Squares and logistic regression models to examine both the relevance of disaster-related experiences and the interactive relationships between disaster-related experiences and post-disaster mental health outcomes including psychological distress, severe depression, somatic symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Results indicate that disaster-related experiences including negative life changes, disaster exposure, post-disaster stressors, and resource loss, have unique, inverse relationships with mental health. While resource loss has the strongest inverse relationship with mental health, disaster exposure has a negative interactive effect on psychological distress and anxiety. Although highly vulnerable populations report low levels of mental health nearly 2 years following a disaster experience, there is a convergence in mental health outcomes with high levels of disaster experiences and disaster exposure that suggests mental resiliency.

Male, less than H.S. education, unemployed, left city before Katrina, with other variables set at means.

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Title: The Association Between Disaster-Related Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes Among Drug Using African American Hurricane Katrina Evacuees
Authors: Alice Cepeda
Jarron M. Saint Onge
Charles Kaplan
Avelardo Valdez
Publication date: 01-12-2010
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 6/2010
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-009-9286-4

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

The Association Between Disaster-Related Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes Among Drug Using African American Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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