IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2018i1p74-d193690.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cardiovascular Disease Hospitalizations in Louisiana Parishes’ Elderly before, during and after Hurricane Katrina

Author

Listed:
  • Ninon A. Becquart

    (Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    These two authors contributed equally.)

  • Elena N. Naumova

    (Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    These two authors contributed equally.)

  • Gitanjali Singh

    (Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA)

  • Kenneth K. H. Chui

    (Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
    School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA)

Abstract

The research on how health and health care disparities impact response to and recovery from a disaster, especially among diverse and underserved populations is in great need for a thorough evaluation. The time series analysis utilizing most complete national databases of medical records is an indispensable tool in assessing the destruction and health toll brought about by natural disasters. In this study, we demonstrated such an application by evaluating the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 on cardiovascular disease (CVD), a primary cause of mortality among older adults that can be aggravated by natural disasters. We compared CVD hospitalizations before, during and after Katrina between white and black residents of three most populated parishes in Louisiana: Orleans and Jefferson, which were severely affected by the landfall and subsequent floods, and East Baton Rouge, which hosted many of the evacuees. We abstracted 383,552 CVD hospitalization records for Louisiana’s patients aged 65+ in 2005–2006 from the database maintained by the Center of Medicare & Medicaid Services. Daily time series of CVD-related hospitalization rates at each study parish were compiled, and the changes were characterized using segmented regression. In Orleans Parish, directly affected by the hurricane, hospitalization rates peaked on the 6th day after landfall with an increase (mean ± SD) from 7.25 ± 2.4 to 18.5 ± 17.3 cases/day per 10,000 adults aged 65+ ( p < 0.001) and returned to pre-landfall level after ~2 months. Disparities in CVD rates between black and white older adults were exacerbated during and following landfall. In Orleans Parish, a week after landfall, the CVD rates increased to 26.3 ± 23.7 and 16.6 ± 11.7 cases/day per 10,000 people ( p < 0.001) for black and white patients, respectively. The abrupt increase in CVDs is likely due to psychosocial and post-traumatic stress caused by the disaster and inadequate response. Inequities in resource allocation and access have to be addressed in disaster preparation and mitigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ninon A. Becquart & Elena N. Naumova & Gitanjali Singh & Kenneth K. H. Chui, 2018. "Cardiovascular Disease Hospitalizations in Louisiana Parishes’ Elderly before, during and after Hurricane Katrina," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-22, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2018:i:1:p:74-:d:193690
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/1/74/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/1/74/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Siobhan M Mor & Alfred DeMaria Jr. & Elena N Naumova, 2014. "Hospitalization Records as a Tool for Evaluating Performance of Food- and Water-Borne Disease Surveillance Systems: A Massachusetts Case Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(4), pages 1-8, April.
    2. Chui, K.K.H. & Jagai, J.S. & Griffiths, J.K. & Naumova, E.N., 2011. "Hospitalization of the elderly in the United States for nonspecific gastrointestinal diseases: A search for etiological clues," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(11), pages 2082-2086.
    3. Brodie, M. & Weltzien, E. & Altman, D. & Blendon, R.J. & Benson, J.M., 2006. "Experiences of Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston shelters: Implications for future planning," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 96(8), pages 1402-1408.
    4. Linda B. Bourque & Judith M. Siegel & Megumi Kano & Michele M. Wood, 2006. "Weathering the Storm: The Impact of Hurricanes on Physical and Mental Health," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 604(1), pages 129-151, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Arnab K. Ghosh & Martin F. Shapiro & David Abramson, 2022. "Closing the Knowledge Gap in the Long-Term Health Effects of Natural Disasters: A Research Agenda for Improving Environmental Justice in the Age of Climate Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-9, November.
    2. Samantha L. Waddell & Dushyantha T. Jayaweera & Mehdi Mirsaeidi & John C. Beier & Naresh Kumar, 2021. "Perspectives on the Health Effects of Hurricanes: A Review and Challenges," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yutong Zhang & Ryan B. Simpson & Lauren E. Sallade & Emily Sanchez & Kyle M. Monahan & Elena N. Naumova, 2022. "Evaluating Completeness of Foodborne Outbreak Reporting in the United States, 1998–2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-19, March.
    2. Sastry, Narayan & Gregory, Jesse, 2013. "The effect of Hurricane Katrina on the prevalence of health impairments and disability among adults in New Orleans: Differences by age, race, and sex," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 121-129.
    3. Tatyana Deryugina & David Molitor, 2020. "Does When You Die Depend on Where You Live? Evidence from Hurricane Katrina," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(11), pages 3602-3633, November.
    4. Sarah R Lowe & Ethan J Raker & Mary C Waters & Jean E Rhodes, 2020. "Predisaster predictors of posttraumatic stress symptom trajectories: An analysis of low-income women in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(10), pages 1-19, October.
    5. De, Prabal K. & Thamarapani, Dhanushka, 2022. "Impacts of negative shocks on wellbeing and aspirations – Evidence from an earthquake," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Krim K. Lacey & Karen Powell Sears & Ishtar O. Govia & Ivy Forsythe-Brown & Niki Matusko & James S. Jackson, 2015. "Substance Use, Mental Disorders and Physical Health of Caribbeans at-Home Compared to Those Residing in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, January.
    7. Amy Lesen, 2012. "Oil, floods, and fish: the social role of environmental scientists," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 2(3), pages 263-270, September.
    8. Kebin Deng & Zhong Ding & Yalu Wang, 2020. "Peasant youth experiences of CEOs, risk aversion and corporate performance," Rationality and Society, , vol. 32(3), pages 278-312, August.
    9. Rocío Calvo & Mariana Arcaya & Christopher Baum & Sarah Lowe & Mary Waters, 2015. "Happily Ever After? Pre-and-Post Disaster Determinants of Happiness Among Survivors of Hurricane Katrina," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 427-442, April.
    10. Widener, Michael J. & Horner, Mark W., 2011. "A hierarchical approach to modeling hurricane disaster relief goods distribution," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 821-828.
    11. Jennifer M. Connolly & Casey Klofstad & Joseph Uscinski, 2020. "Leaving home ain’t easy: Citizen compliance with local government hurricane evacuation orders," Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, Center for Experimental and Behavioral Public Administration, vol. 3(2).
    12. Civelek, Yasin, 2023. "The effect of hurricanes on mental health over the long term," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    13. Ryan B. Simpson & Sofia Babool & Maia C. Tarnas & Paulina M. Kaminski & Meghan A. Hartwick & Elena N. Naumova, 2021. "Signatures of Cholera Outbreak during the Yemeni Civil War, 2016–2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-29, December.
    14. Matsubayashi, Tetsuya & Sawada, Yasuyuki & Ueda, Michiko, 2013. "Natural disasters and suicide: Evidence from Japan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 126-133.
    15. Morris, Katherine Ann & Deterding, Nicole M., 2016. "The emotional cost of distance: Geographic social network dispersion and post-traumatic stress among survivors of Hurricane Katrina," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 56-65.
    16. Adam Pel & Michiel Bliemer & Serge Hoogendoorn, 2012. "A review on travel behaviour modelling in dynamic traffic simulation models for evacuations," Transportation, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 97-123, January.
    17. Paxson, Christina & Fussell, Elizabeth & Rhodes, Jean & Waters, Mary, 2012. "Five years later: Recovery from post traumatic stress and psychological distress among low-income mothers affected by Hurricane Katrina," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 150-157.
    18. Jennifer D. Runkle & Hongmei Zhang & Wilfried Karmaus & Amy B. Martin & Erik R. Svendsen, 2012. "Prediction of Unmet Primary Care Needs for the Medically Vulnerable Post-Disaster: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis of Health System Responses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-14, September.
    19. Dongkwan Lee & Soyeon Yoon & Eun-Seon Park & Yuseung Kim & D.K. Yoon, 2018. "Factors Contributing to Disaster Evacuation: The Case of South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, October.
    20. Gabriella Rundblad & Olivia Knapton & Paul R. Hunter, 2014. "The Causes and Circumstances of Drinking Water Incidents Impact Consumer Behaviour: Comparison of a Routine versus a Natural Disaster Incident," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-16, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2018:i:1:p:74-:d:193690. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.