Multiple natural disaster exposure effects on stress adjustment and resilience in clinical samples

Using National Family Business Panel data combined with national natural disaster and federal disaster assistance data, the purpose of the study was to investigate relative contributions of human, social and financial capital; natural disaster exposure; and federal disaster assistance to business-owning family resilience over time for male and female family business owners. With a theoretical foundation of Sustainable Family Business and Conservation of Resources theories, the study examined 311 small family firms from the National Family Business Panel. Federal disaster assistance explained a significant amount of variance in firm-owning resilience. Higher levels of federal disaster assistance were associated with lower family firm resilience for male-owned businesses and higher family firm resilience for female-owned businesses. This study advances knowledge of firm sustainability after natural disasters by adding to the conceptualization and measurement of family firm resilience; by having baseline firm financial data prior to disaster exposure; by utilizing a national, representative, longitudinal family firm sample; by including a range of natural disasters and federal disaster assistance; and by including family resilience over time.

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Psychiatric epidemiology and disaster exposure in Australia

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s2045796017000531 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 28 (03) ◽

pp. 310-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

L. Reifels ◽

K. Mills ◽

M. L. A. Dückers ◽

M. L. O'Donnell

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Abuse ◽

Panic Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Lifetime Risk ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Disaster Exposure ◽

Disorder Risk

Aims.To examine the lifetime prevalence and risk of psychiatric disorders associated with natural and man-made disaster exposure in Australia.Methods.We utilised data from a nationally representative population survey (N = 8841) which were analysed through univariate and multivariate logistic regression in order to examine the full spectrum of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) affective, anxiety and substance use disorders associated with exposure to natural and man-made disaster.Results.Man-made disaster exposure was primarily associated with an increased lifetime risk (odds ratio (95% CI)) of alcohol abuse disorder 2.29 (1.56–3.37), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 2.27 (1.36–3.79), obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) 1.95 (1.08–3.51) and major depressive disorder 1.69 (1.01–2.85). Multiple natural disaster exposure was associated with an increased lifetime risk of panic disorder 2.26 (1.11–4.61). Among the broader disorder spectrum examined, alcohol abuse disorder accounted for the single greatest increase in lifetime disorder prevalence associated with man-made disaster exposure, and the greatest number of natural or man-made disaster exposed individuals who had developed a lifetime psychiatric disorder. Despite the relatively greater disorder risk associated with man-made disaster, natural disaster exposure was associated with more cases of psychiatric disorder, likely due to the frequency with which these events occur in Australia.Conclusions.Notwithstanding the inability to draw causal inferences from cross-sectional survey data, population-based analyses provide a comprehensive and consistent method to ascertain the population imprint of psychiatric disorder and disaster exposure. Mental health policy and services should be targeting a range of psychiatric disorders in disaster contexts in addition to the usual focus on PTSD and depression, including alcohol abuse, panic disorder and OCD. Despite the relatively greater disorder risk associated with man-made disaster exposure, the national burden of psychiatric disorder in natural disaster contexts is particularly high.

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Social Support Moderates Effects of Natural Disaster Exposure on Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: Effects for Displaced and Nondisplaced Residents

Journal of Traumatic Stress ◽

10.1002/jts.22270 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 223-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Adam P. McGuire ◽

Jami M. Gauthier ◽

Lisa M. Anderson ◽

David W. Hollingsworth ◽

Melissa Tracy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms ◽

Disaster Exposure

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Immune Function and Affective States following a Natural Disaster

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.2002.90.2.521 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 90 (2) ◽

pp. 521-524 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

James Rotton ◽

Sorah S. Dubitsky

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Immunoglobulin A ◽

Affective States ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Health Consequence ◽

Hurricane Andrew ◽

Community Ties ◽

Salivary Immunoglobulin A ◽

Disaster Exposure

Although natural disasters sometimes strengthen community ties, it was hypothesized that the negative affect following a hurricane would lower evaluations of strangers. This hypothesis was tested by having 105 students evaluate an individual that they had just met following Hurricane Andrew. The hypothesis did not receive support, but students living in storm-damaged neighborhoods expressed more negative affect than those living in less damaged neighborhoods. Regression analyses also disclosed that severity of a disaster predicted concentrations of immunoglobulin A in saliva. The results suggest that salivary immunoglobulin A can be used to assess the health consequence of disaster exposure.

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Examining the National Profile of Chronic Disaster Health Risks in Australia

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x19000293 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (s1) ◽

pp. s5-s5

Author(s):

Lennart Reifels ◽

Michel LA Dückers ◽

Grant Blashki

Keyword(s):

Physical Health ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Health Risks ◽

Population Data ◽

Lifetime Risk ◽

Chronic Health ◽

Response Planning ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

National Profile ◽

Disaster Exposure

Introduction:Despite a longstanding focus on examining acute health impacts in disaster research, only limited systematic information is available today to further our understanding of chronic physical health risks of disaster exposure. Heterogeneity of studies and disaster events of varying type and scale compounding this challenge highlight the merit of a consistent approach to examining nationally representative population data to understand distinctive profiles of chronic disaster health risks.Aim:This epidemiological study examined the full spectrum and national profile of chronic physical health risks associated with natural and man-made disaster exposure in Australia.Methods:Nationally-representative population survey data (N=8841) were analyzed through multivariate logistic regression, controlling for sociodemographic variables, exposure to natural and man-made disasters, and other traumatic events. Key outcomes included lifetime national chronic health priority conditions (asthma, cancer, stroke, rheumatism/arthritis, diabetes, heart/circulatory) and other conditions of 6 month or more duration (based on the World Health Organization’s WMH-CIDI chronic conditions module).Results:Natural disaster exposure primarily increased the lifetime risk of stroke (AOR 2.06, 95%CI 1.54-2.74). Man-made disaster exposure increased the lifetime risk of stomach ulcer (AOR 2.21, 95%CI 1.14-4.31), migraine (AOR 1.61, 95%CI 1.02-2.56), and heart/circulatory conditions (AOR 2.01, 95%CI 1.07-3.75). Multiple man-made disaster exposure heightened the risk of migraine (AOR 2.98, 95%CI 1.28-6.92) and chronic back or neck conditions (AOR 1.63, 95%CI 1.02-2.62), while multiple natural disaster exposure heightened the risk of stroke (AOR 3.28, 95%CI 1.90-5.67). No other chronic health risks were elevated. Despite the relatively greater chronic health risks linked to man-made disasters, natural disasters were associated overall with more cases of chronic health conditions.Discussion:The analysis of nationally-representative population data provides a consistent method to examine the unique national imprint of disaster exposure and distinct profile of disaster health risks to inform future detection, prevention measures, disaster health preparedness, and response planning.

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