title: Snapshot from Superstorm Sandy: American Red Cross mental health risk surveillance in lower New York State.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Disasters often cause psychological injury, as well as dramatic physical damage. Epidemiologic research has identified a set of disaster experiences and predisposing characteristics that place survivors at risk for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Rapid triage of at-risk survivors could have benefits for individual and population-level outcomes. We examine American Red Cross mental health risk surveillance data collected from October 29 to November 20, 2012, immediately after Hurricane Sandy in 8 lower New York State counties to evaluate the feasibility and utility of collecting these data.
  
  
  METHODS
  PsySTART, an evidence-based disaster mental health triage tool, was used to record survivor-reported risk factors after each survivor contact. Red Cross disaster mental health volunteers interfaced with survivors at disaster operation sites, including shelters, emergency aid stations, and mobile feeding and community outreach centers. Risk data were called into the operations center each day and reported by county.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PsySTART risk surveillance data for 18,823 disaster mental health contacts are presented for adults and children. A total of 17,979 risk factors were reported. Overall levels of risk per contact were statistically different (χ(2)(1, N=6,045)=248.1; P<.001) across the 8 counties. Survivors with high levels of risk were found in locations apart from the areas with the greatest physical damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aggregated PsySTART data in Superstorm Sandy indicate substantial population-level impact suggestive of risk for disorders that may persist chronically without treatment. Mental health triage has the potential to improve care of individual disaster survivors, as well as inform disaster management, local health providers, and public health officials.
authors.affiliation: Center for Disaster Medical Sciences, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA.
authors.forename: Merritt D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.affiliation: Disaster Mental Health, American Red Cross National Headquarters, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Center for Disaster Medical Sciences, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omaish
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY. Electronic address: joan.broderick@stonybrook.edu.
authors.forename: Joan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Broderick
mesh_terms: D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012011:Red Cross; D012307:Risk Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014218:Triage