title: Lessons from the 2006 Louisiana health and population survey.
abstract: The 2005 hurricane season caused extensive damage and induced a mass migration of approximately 1.1 million people from southern Louisiana in the United States. Current and accurate estimates of population size and demographics and an assessment of the critical needs for public services were required to guide recovery efforts. Since forecasts using pre-hurricane data may produce inaccurate estimates of the post-hurricane population, a household survey in 18 hurricane-affected parishes was conducted to provide timely and credible information on the size of these populations, their demographics and their condition. This paper describes the methods used, the challenges encountered, and the key factors for successful implementation. This post-disaster survey was unique because it identified the needs of the people in the affected parishes and quantified the number of people with these needs. Consequently, this survey established new population and health indicator baselines that otherwise would have not been available to guide the relief and recovery efforts in southern Louisiana.
authors: Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. gstone13@gmail.com
authors: Gregory S
authors: GS
authors: Stone
authors: Alden K
authors: AK
authors: Henderson
authors: Stephanie I
authors: SI
authors: Davis
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Lewin
authors: Iris
authors: I
authors: Shimizu
authors: Ramesh
authors: R
authors: Krishnamurthy
authors: Kris
authors: K
authors: Bisgard
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Lee
authors: Aisha
authors: A
authors: Jumaan
authors: Erin
authors: E
authors: Marziale
authors: Miranda
authors: M
authors: Bryant
authors: Clayton
authors: C
authors: Williams
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Mason
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Sirois
authors: Makiko
authors: M
authors: Hori
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Chapman
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Bowman
mesh_terms: D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011157:Population Dynamics