title: News, social capital and health in the context of Katrina.
abstract: This study assesses the public health functions played by news information and social capital in the context of Hurricane Katrina. In-depth interviews were conducted with 57 hurricane shelter residents between 4 and 6 weeks after the hurricane. Depression was more common for participants who relied more on news information than for other participants after the hurricane (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.49; 95% CI, 1.29 to 23.35; p=.021). Depression was more common for participants with relatively low levels of pre-hurricane positive social interactions (AOR, .16; 95% CI, .02 to 1.83; p=.046) and post-hurricane positive social interactions (AOR, .02; 95% CI, .00 to .74; p=.033) and high levels of post-hurricane negative social interactions (AOR, 17.05; 95% CI, .92 to 315.64; p=.047). Illness and injury were more common for participants who had relied more on news information than for other participants after the hurricane (AOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.77; p=.046).
authors.affiliation: Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. beaudoin@tulane.edu
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Beaudoin
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data