Physical, Mental, and Financial Impacts From Drought in Two California Counties, 2015.
To evaluate health impacts of drought during the most severe drought in California's recorded history with a rapid assessment method.



We conducted Community Assessments for Public Health Emergency Response during October through November 2015 in Tulare County and Mariposa County to evaluate household water access, acute stressors, exacerbations of chronic diseases and behavioral health issues, and financial impacts. We evaluated pairwise associations by logistic regression with pooled data.



By assessment area, households reported not having running water (3%-12%); impacts on finances (25%-39%), property (39%-54%), health (10%-20%), and peace of mind (33%-61%); worsening of a chronic disease (16%-46%); acute stress (8%-26%); and considering moving (14%-34%). Impacts on finances or property were each associated with impacts on health and peace of mind, and acute stress.



Drought-impacted households might perceive physical and mental health effects and might experience financial or property impacts related to the drought. Public Health Implications. Local jurisdictions should consider implementing drought assistance programs, including behavioral health, and consider rapid assessments to inform public health action.
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Tracy
T
Barreau
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
David
D
Conway
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Karen
K
Haught
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Rebecca
R
Jackson
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Richard
R
Kreutzer
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Andrew
A
Lockman
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Sharon
S
Minnick
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Rachel
R
Roisman
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
David
D
Rozell
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Svetlana
S
Smorodinsky
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Dana
D
Tafoya
At the time of these assessments, Tracy Barreau, Rebecca Jackson, Richard Kreutzer, Rachel Roisman, Svetlana Smorodinsky, and Jason A. Wilken were with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Richmond. David Conway and Dana Tafoya were with the Mariposa County Health Department (MCHD), Mariposa, CA. Karen Haught, Andrew Lockman, Sharon Minnick, and David Rozell were with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (TCHHSA), Visalia, CA. Jason A. Wilken was also with the Career Epidemiology Field Officer Program, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
Jason A
JA
Wilken
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D055864:Droughts / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D062489:Health Impact Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014881:Water Supply