Temporal and Spatial Patterns in Utilization of Mental Health Services During and After Hurricane Sandy: Emergency Department and Inpatient Hospitalizations in New York City.
Hurricane Sandy made landfall on October 29, 2012, causing a coastal storm surge and extensive flooding, which led to the closure of several health care facilities in New York City (NYC) and prolonged interruptions in service delivery. The impact on mental health-related emergency department (ED) and inpatient hospital service utilization was studied.



Data came from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. We obtained mental health-related data among NYC residents from 2010 to 2013. Patients were grouped into 5 geographic areas, including service areas of closed hospitals, the Hurricane Sandy evaluation zone, and all of NYC. The Farrington method was used to detect increases in ED visits and hospitalizations for the post-Sandy period.



Open hospitals experienced a substantial increase in psychiatric ED visits from patients living in the service areas of closed hospitals. This surge in psychiatric ED visits persisted for 4 to 6 months after Hurricane Sandy. However, the increase in psychiatric hospitalizations was observed for 1 to 3 months.



Several NYC hospitals received a substantially larger number of ED patients from service areas of closed hospitals after Hurricane Sandy, unlike other hospitals that experienced a decrease. Because of potential surges in the number of psychiatric ED visits, resource allocation to hospitals should be considered. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:512-517).
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Fangtao Tony
FT
He
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Nneka
N
Lundy De La Cruz
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Donald
D
Olson
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Sungwoo
S
Lim
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Amber
A
Levanon Seligson
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Gerod
G
Hall
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Jillian
J
Jessup
Division of Epidemiology,New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York,New York.
Charon
C
Gwynn
D055867:Cyclonic Storms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009519:New York City; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
Hurricane Sandy; emergency department; emergency preparedness; health care utilization; mental health