title: Immediate and longer-term stressors and the mental health of Hurricane Ike survivors.
abstract: Previous research has documented that individuals exposed to more stressors during disasters and their immediate aftermath (immediate stressors) are at risk of experiencing longer-term postdisaster stressors. Longer-term stressors, in turn, have been found to play a key role in shaping postdisaster psychological functioning. Few studies have simultaneously explored the links from immediate to longer-term stressors, and from longer-term stressors to psychological functioning, however. Additionally, studies have inadequately explored whether postdisaster psychological symptoms influence longer-term stressors. In the current study, we aimed to fill these gaps. Participants (N = 448) were from population-based study of Hurricane Ike survivors and completed assessments 2-5 months (Wave 1), 5-9 months (Wave 2) and 14-18 months (Wave 3) postdisaster. Through path analysis, we found that immediate stressors, assessed at Wave 1, were positively associated with Wave 2 and Wave 3 stressors, which in turn were positively associated with Wave 2 and Wave 3 posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms. Wave 2 posttraumatic stress symptoms were positively associated with Wave 3 stressors, and Wave 1 depressive symptoms were positively associated with Wave 2 stressors. The findings suggest that policies and interventions can reduce the impact of disasters on mental health by preventing and alleviating both immediate and longer-term postdisaster stressors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerdá
authors.forename: Fran H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors