Document Detail


Disaster planning and risk communication with vulnerable communities: lessons from Hurricane Katrina.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  17413069     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVES: We studied the experience of Hurricane Katrina evacuees to better understand factors influencing evacuation decisions in impoverished, mainly minority communities that were most severely affected by the disaster.
METHODS: We performed qualitative interviews with 58 randomly selected evacuees living in Houston's major evacuation centers from September 9 to 12, 2005. Transcripts were content analyzed using grounded theory methodology.
RESULTS: Participants were mainly African American, had low incomes, and were from New Orleans. Participants' strong ties to extended family, friends, and community groups influenced other factors affecting evacuation, including transportation, access to shelter, and perception of evacuation messages. These social connections cut both ways, which facilitated and hindered evacuation decisions.
CONCLUSIONS: Effective disaster plans must account for the specific obstacles encountered by vulnerable and minority communities. Removing the more apparent obstacles of shelter and transportation will likely be insufficient for improving disaster plans for impoverished, minority communities. The important influence of extended families and social networks demand better community-based communication and preparation strategies.
Authors:
David P Eisenman; Kristina M Cordasco; Steve Asch; Joya F Golden; Deborah Glik
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.     Date:  2007-04-05
Journal Detail:
Title:  American journal of public health     Volume:  97 Suppl 1     ISSN:  1541-0048     ISO Abbreviation:  Am J Public Health     Publication Date:  2007 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-04-17     Completed Date:  2007-06-27     Revised Date:  2011-12-06    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  1254074     Medline TA:  Am J Public Health     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  S109-15     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Los Angeles, and the RAND Corporation, Calif 90095-1736, USA. deisenman@mednet.ucla.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
African Americans
Communication*
Disaster Planning*
Disasters*
Health Services Accessibility
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Louisiana
Poverty Areas
Public Health Administration
Refugees / psychology*,  statistics & numerical data
Texas
Urban Population
Vulnerable Populations / psychology,  statistics & numerical data
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
K01-CD000049-02/CD/CDC HHS
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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