Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2pzkn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-20T18:15:32.369Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Geography of Mental Health and General Wellness in Galveston Bay After Hurricane Ike: A Spatial Epidemiologic Study With Longitudinal Data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2016

Oliver Gruebner ,
Sarah R. Lowe ,
Melissa Tracy ,
Magdalena Cerdá ,
Spruha Joshi ,
Fran H. Norris  and
Sandro Galea
Oliver Gruebner*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
Sarah R. Lowe
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
Melissa Tracy
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York
Magdalena Cerdá
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
Spruha Joshi
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
Fran H. Norris
Affiliation:
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
Sandro Galea
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Oliver Gruebner, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY (e-mail: gruebner@hsph.harvard.edu).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives

To demonstrate a spatial epidemiologic approach that could be used in the aftermath of disasters to (1) detect spatial clusters and (2) explore geographic heterogeneity in predictors for mental health and general wellness.

Methods

We used a cohort study of Hurricane Ike survivors (n=508) to assess the spatial distribution of postdisaster mental health wellness (most likely resilience trajectory for posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS] and depression) and general wellness (most likely resilience trajectory for PTSS, depression, functional impairment, and days of poor health) in Galveston, Texas. We applied the spatial scan statistic (SaTScan) and geographically weighted regression.

Results

We found spatial clusters of high likelihood wellness in areas north of Texas City and spatial concentrations of low likelihood wellness in Galveston Island. Geographic variation was found in predictors of wellness, showing increasing associations with both forms of wellness the closer respondents were located to Galveston City in Galveston Island.

Conclusions

Predictors for postdisaster wellness may manifest differently across geographic space with concentrations of lower likelihood wellness and increased associations with predictors in areas of higher exposure. Our approach could be used to inform geographically targeted interventions to promote mental health and general wellness in disaster-affected communities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:261–273)

Keywords

natural disastersgeographic mappingmental disorderspsychological resiliencepost-traumatic stress disorders
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Supplement 2 , April 2016 , pp. 261 - 273
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Goldmann, E, Galea, S. Mental health consequences of disasters. Annu Rev Public Health . 2014;35(1):169-183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Kar, N, Bastia, BK. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and generalised anxiety disorder in adolescents after a natural disaster: a study of comorbidity. Clin Pract Epidemol Ment Health. 2006;2(1):17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1745-0179-2-17.Google Scholar
3. Agaibi, CE, , Wilson JP. Trauma, PTSD, and resilience: a review of the literature. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2005;6(3):195-216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1524838005277438.Google Scholar
4. Ginexi, EM, Weihs, K, Simmens, SJ, et al. Natural disaster and depression: a prospective investigation of reactions to the 1993 midwest floods. Am J Community Psychol. 2000;28(4):495-518. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005188515149.Google Scholar
5. Nandi, A, Tracy, M, Beard, JR, et al. Patterns and predictors of trajectories of depression after an urban disaster. Ann Epidemiol. 2009;19(11):761-770. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2009.06.005.Google Scholar
6. Norris, FH, Tracy, M, Galea, S. Looking for resilience: understanding the longitudinal trajectories of responses to stress. Soc Sci Med. 2009;68(12):2190-2198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.03.043.Google Scholar
7. Lowe, SR, Rhodes, JE. Trajectories of psychological distress among low‐income, female survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2013;83(2-3):398-412. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajop.12019.Google Scholar
8. Norris, FH, Stevens, SP, Pfefferbaum, B, et al. Community resilience as a metaphor, theory, set of capacities, and strategy for disaster readiness. Am J Community Psychol. 2008;41(1-2):127-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10464-007-9156-6.Google Scholar
9. Lowe, SR, Joshi, S, Pietrzak, RH, et al. Mental health and general wellness in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Soc Sci Med. 2014;124C:162-170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.11.032.Google Scholar
10. Curtis, A, Mills, JW, Leitner, M. Katrina and vulnerability: the geography of stress. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2007;18(2):315-330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2007.0029.Google Scholar
11. DiMaggio, C, Galea, S, Emch, M. Spatial proximity and the risk of psychopathology after a terrorist attack. Psychiatry Res. 2010;176(1):55-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2008.10.035.Google Scholar
12. Maghrabi, K. Impact of flood disaster on the mental health of residents in the Eastern Region of Jeddah Governorate, 2010: a study in medical geography. Life Science Journal-Acta Zhengzhou University Overseas Edition. 2012;9(1):95-110.Google Scholar
13. National Hurricane Center. NHC GIS Archive - Probabilistic Storm Surge Forecasts. National Hurricane Center website. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gis/. Accessed January 11, 2016.Google Scholar
14. National Hurricane Center. Tropical Cyclone Best Track. National Hurricane Center website. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gis/archive_besttrack.php. Accessed December 29, 2015.Google Scholar
15. Berg, R. Tropical Cyclone Report Hurricane Ike. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092008_Ike.pdf. Published January 23, 2009. Accessed December 29, 2015.Google Scholar
16. Pietrzak, RH, Southwick, SM, Tracy, M, et al. Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and perceived needs for psychological care in older persons affected by Hurricane Ike. J Affect Disord. 2012;138(1-2):96-103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2011.12.018.Google Scholar
17. Pietrzak, RH, Tracy, M, Galea, S, et al. Resilience in the face of disaster: prevalence and longitudinal course of mental disorders following Hurricane Ike. 2012;7(6):e38964. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0038964.Google Scholar
18. Tracy, M, Norris, FH, Galea, S. Differences in the determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after a mass traumatic event. Depress Anxiety. 2011;28(8):666-675. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/da.20838.Google Scholar
19. American Association for Public Opinion Research. Standard definitions: Final dispositions of case codes and outcome rates for surveys. http://www.aapor.org/AAPORKentico/Communications/AAPOR-Journals/Standard-Definitions.aspx. Published 2011. Accessed October 30, 2014.Google Scholar
20. Blanchard, EB, Jones-Alexander, J, Buckley, TC, et al. Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist (PCL). Behav Res Ther. 1996;34(8):669-673. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(96)00033-2.Google Scholar
21. Kroenke, K, Spitzer, RL. The PHQ-9: a new depression diagnostic and severity measure. Psychiatr Ann. 2002;32(9):509-515. http://dx.doi.org/10.3928/0048-5713-20020901-06.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22. Norris, FH, Hamblen, JL, Brown, LM, et al. Validation of the Short Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview (expanded version, Sprint-E) as a measure of postdisaster distress and treatment need. Am J Disaster Med. 2008;3(4):201-212.Google Scholar
23. Moriarty, DG, Zack, MM, Kobau, R. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Days Measures - population tracking of perceived physical and mental health over time. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2003;1(1):37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-1-37.Google Scholar
24. Breslau, N, Kessler, RC, Chilcoat, HD, Schultz, LR, Davis, GC, Andreski, P. Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in the community: the 1996 Detroit Area Survey of Trauma. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55(7):626-632. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.55.7.626.Google Scholar
25. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.Google Scholar
26. Kroenke, K, Spitzer, RL, Williams, JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001;16(9):606-613. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x.Google Scholar
27. Bracha, HS, Williams, AE, Haynes, SN, et al. The STRS (shortness of breath, tremulousness, racing heart, and sweating): A brief checklist for acute distress with panic-like autonomic indicators; development and factor structure. Ann Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2004;3(1):8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1475-2832-3-8.Google Scholar
28. Barrera, M Jr, Sandler, IN, Ramsay, TB. Preliminary development of a scale of social support: studies on college students. Am J Community Psychol. 1981;9(4):435-447. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00918174.Google Scholar
29. Kaniasty, K, Norris, FH. Help-seeking comfort and receiving social support: the role of ethnicity and context of need. Am J Community Psychol. 2000;28(4):545-581. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005192616058.Google Scholar
30. Sampson, RJ, Raudenbush, SW, Earls, F. Neighborhoods and violent crime: a multilevel study of collective efficacy. Science. 1997;277(5328):918-924. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.277.5328.918.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31. Lochner, K, Kawachi, I, Kennedy, BP. Social capital: a guide to its measurement. Health Place. 1999;5(4):259-270. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1353-8292(99)00016-7.Google Scholar
32. Echeverria, MSE, Diez-Roux, DAV, Link, DBG. Reliability of self-reported neighborhood characteristics. J Urban Health. 2004;81(4):682-701. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jurban/jth151.Google Scholar
33. Waller, LA, Gotway, CA. Applied Spatial Statistics for Public Health Data. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/0471662682.Google Scholar
34. Gruebner, O, Khan, MMH, Hostert, P. Spatial epidemiological applications in public health research: examples from the megacity of Dhaka. In: Health in Megacities and Urban Areas. Vol Contributions to Statistics. Heidelberg: Physica-Verlag HD; 2011:243-261. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-2733-0_16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35. Kulldorff, M. A spatial scan statistic. Commun Stat Theory Methods. 1997;26(6):1481-1496. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03610929708831995.Google Scholar
36. Kulldorff, M. SaTScan User Guide. Vol 9 ed. Boston: Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; 2015:1-113. http://www.satscan.org/.Google Scholar
37. Bivand, RS, Pebesma, EJ, Gomez-Rubio, V. Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R. New York: Springer; 2008.Google Scholar
38. Venables, WN, Ripley, BD. Modern Applied Statistics with S. New York: Springer; 2002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-21706-2.Google Scholar
39. R Development Core Team. R: a Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing; 2013.Google Scholar
40. Brunsdon, C, Fotheringham, AS, Charlton, ME. Geographically weighted regression: a method for exploring spatial nonstationarity. Geogr Anal . 1996;28(4):281-298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1538-4632.1996.tb00936.x.Google Scholar
41. Wheeler, DC, Páez, A. Geographically weighted regression. In: Handbook of Applied Spatial Analysis. Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 2010:461-486. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03647-7_22.Google Scholar
42. Nakaya, T. GWR4 User Manual. Nakaya T, Charlton M, Lewis P, et al, eds. https://geodacenter.asu.edu/drupal_files/gwr/GWR4manual.pdf. Published June 2, 2009. Updated March 12, 2014. Accessed December 29, 2015.Google Scholar
43. Nakaya, T, Fotheringham, AS, Charlton, M, et al. Semiparametric geographically weighted generalised linear modelling in GWR 4.0. http://www.geocomputation.org/2009/PDF/Nakaya_et_al.pdf. Published 2009. Accessed December 29, 2015.Google Scholar
44. Nakaya, T. Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) Software. GWR 4.0. ASU GeoDa Center website. https://geodacenter.asu.edu/gwr_software. 2014. Accessed December 29, 2015.Google Scholar
45. Pynoos, RS, Frederick, C, Nader, K, et al. Life threat and posttraumatic stress in school-age children. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1987;44(12):1057-1063. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1987.01800240031005.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46. Rego, JL, Li, C. Storm surge propagation in Galveston Bay during Hurricane Ike. J Mar Syst. 2010;82(4):265-279. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2010.06.001.Google Scholar
47. Acierno, R, Ruggiero, KJ, Kilpatrick, DG, et al. Risk and protective factors for psychopathology among older versus younger adults after the 2004 Florida Hurricanes. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006;14(12):1051-1059. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.JGP.0000221327.97904.b0.Google Scholar
48. Gibbs, MS. Factors in the victim that mediate between disaster and psychopathology: a review. J Trauma Stress. 1989;2(4):489-514. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490020411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
49. Norris, FH, Friedman, MJ, Watson, PJ, et al. 60,000 disaster victims speak: part I. An empirical review of the empirical literature, 1981-2001. Psychiatry. 2002;65(3):207-239. http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/psyc.65.3.207.20173.Google Scholar
50. Kawachi, I, Subramanian, SV, Kim, D. Social capital and health. New York: Springer; 2008:1-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-71311-3_1.Google Scholar
51. McKenzie, K, Harpham, T. Social Capital and Mental Health. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 2006.Google Scholar
52. Cohen, DA, Inagami, S, Finch, B. The built environment and collective efficacy. Health Place. 2008;14(2):198-208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2007.06.001.Google Scholar
53. Luthar, SS, Cicchetti, D, Becker, B. The construct of resilience: a critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Dev. 2000;71(3):543-562. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: File

Gruebner Supplementary Material

Table 1

Download Gruebner Supplementary Material(File)
File 79.2 KB

Gruebner Supplementary Material 2

Table 2

Download Gruebner Supplementary Material 2(Audio)
Audio 78.7 KB