4. Polling Post-Hurricane Sandy: The Transformative Personal and Political Impact of the Hurricane in New Jersey

Presently, there is little research on how people experiencing homelessness prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Existing emergency management literature does not provide an understanding of how disasters affect homeless shelter services. The present study seeks to fill these gaps by examining how Hurricane Sandy impacted homeless shelters and their guests in New Jersey. Presenting findings from ethnographic research in Atlantic City and Hoboken, this study identifies several areas in which homeless shelters and their guests may be able to assist in emergency response and disaster recovery such as preparing meals for victims, sorting and processing donated items, and assisting victims in filing for emergency assistance.

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Rates of Hospitalization for Dehydration Following Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2015.169 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 188-192 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Joel N. Swerdel ◽

George G. Rhoads ◽

Nora M. Cosgrove ◽

John B. Kostis ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

New Jersey ◽

Electrical Power ◽

Hurricane Sandy ◽

Health Concern ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Linear Modeling ◽

Volume Depletion ◽

New Jersey History ◽

Log Linear

AbstractObjectiveHurricane Sandy, one of the most destructive natural disasters in New Jersey history, made landfall on October 29, 2012. Prolonged loss of electrical power and extensive infrastructure damage restricted access for many to food and water. We examined the rate of dehydration in New Jersey residents after Hurricane Sandy.MethodsWe obtained data from 2008 to 2012 from the Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System (MIDAS), a repository of in-patient records from nonfederal New Jersey hospitals (N=517,355). Patients with dehydration had ICD-9-CM discharge diagnosis codes for dehydration, volume depletion, and/or hypovolemia. We used log-linear modeling to estimate the change in in-patient hospitalizations for dehydration comparing 2 weeks after Sandy with the same period in the previous 4 years (2008–2011).ResultsIn-patient hospitalizations for dehydration were 66% higher after Sandy than in 2008–2011 (rate ratio [RR]: 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.50, 1.84). Hospitalizations for dehydration in patients over 65 years of age increased by nearly 80% after Sandy compared with 2008–2011 (RR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.58, 2.02).ConclusionSandy was associated with a marked increase in hospitalizations for dehydration. Reducing the rate of dehydration following extreme weather events is an important public health concern that needs to be addressed, especially in those over 65 years of age. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:188–192)

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Evacuations as a Result of Hurricane Sandy: Analysis of the 2014 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2017.21 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 720-728 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Prathit A. Kulkarni ◽

Hui Gu ◽

Stella Tsai ◽

Marian Passannante ◽

Soyeon Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

New Jersey ◽

Female Gender ◽

Hurricane Sandy ◽

Chronic Health Conditions ◽

Health Conditions ◽

Behavioral Risk ◽

Behavioral Risk Factor ◽

Health Factors ◽

History Of

AbstractObjectiveWe characterized evacuations related to Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey on October 29, 2012.MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2014 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. The proportion of respondents reporting evacuation was used to estimate the number of New Jersey adults who evacuated. We determined evacuation rates in heavily impacted and less-impacted municipalities, as well as evacuation rates for municipalities under and not under mandatory evacuation orders. We tested associations between demographic and health factors, such as certain chronic health conditions, and evacuation.ResultsAmong respondents, 12.7% (95% CI: 11.8%-13.6%) reported evacuating, corresponding to approximately 880,000 adults. In heavily impacted municipalities, 17.0% (95% CI: 15.2%-18.7%) evacuated, compared with 10.1% (95% CI: 9.0%-11.2%) in less-impacted municipalities. In municipalities under mandatory evacuation orders, 42.5% (95% CI: 35.1%-49.8%) evacuated, compared with 11.8% (95% CI: 10.9%-12.9%) in municipalities not under mandatory orders. Female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.14-1.64), unmarried status (OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.02-1.46), shorter length of residence (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.03-1.60), and living in a heavily impacted municipality (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.54-2.20) were significantly associated with evacuation. History of stroke (OR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.02-2.53) was the only chronic condition associated with evacuation.ConclusionsApproximately 880,000 New Jersey adults evacuated because of Hurricane Sandy. Those in heavily impacted municipalities and municipalities under mandatory evacuation orders had higher evacuation rates; however, still fewer than half evacuated. These findings can be used for future disaster planning. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:720–728).

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Regional assessment of persistent organic pollutants in resident mussels from New Jersey and New York estuaries following Hurricane Sandy

Marine Pollution Bulletin ◽

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.077 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 107 (2) ◽

pp. 432-441 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kelly L. Smalling ◽

Ashok D. Deshpande ◽

Heather S. Galbraith ◽

Beth L. Sharack ◽

DeMond Timmons ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New Jersey ◽

Organic Pollutants ◽

Persistent Organic Pollutants ◽

Hurricane Sandy ◽

Regional Assessment

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Challenges Faced and Support Received: Older Adults’ Perceptions of Hurricane Sandy

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2016.133 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 39-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Allison R. Heid ◽

Seran Schug ◽

Francine P. Cartwright ◽

Rachel Pruchno

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

New Jersey ◽

Older People ◽

Hurricane Sandy ◽

Community Networks ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Ongoing Research ◽

The People

AbstractObjectiveIndividuals exposed to natural disasters are at risk for negative physical and psychological outcomes. Older adults may be particularly vulnerable; however, social support can act as a resource to help individuals respond to severe stressors. This study explored the challenges older people faced before, during, and after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and the people they turned to for support.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 older adults in New Jersey drawn from the ORANJ BOWL (Ongoing Research on Aging in New Jersey – Bettering Opportunities for Wellness in Life) research panel, who experienced high levels of primary home damage during Hurricane Sandy. Content analysis of interview transcripts classified older adults’ perceptions on how they “made it” through—the challenges they faced and the support they received.ResultsThe findings suggested that older adults experienced emotional, instrumental, social, and financial challenges before, during, and after the storm. However, by relying on family and friends, as well as neighbors and community networks, older people were able to respond to stressors.ConclusionsOur findings carry implications for ensuring that older adults are connected to social networks before, during, and after disasters. The role of neighbors is particularly important when disasters strike. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:39–47)

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