Disparities in health care among Vietnamese New Orleanians and the impacts of Hurricane Katrina

P., Mai; Hutchinson, Paul; Kathryn, V.; VanLandingham, Mark

doi:10.1108/s0275-4959(2009)0000027016

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…One profound impact is the disruption of traditional networks of social support that communities rely upon to cope with traumatic events. Research in the impacted areas also needs to take into account the unique history and potential strengths and vulnerabilities of ethnic and cultural minorities in the population most affected; for example, Vietnamese fishing communities 202122…”

Section: Mental Health Sequelae Of Previous Oil Spillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mental Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill

Osofsky¹,

Palinkas²,

Galloway³

2010

Disaster med. public health prep.

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rom multiple perspectives, the current mental health concerns in the Gulf communities began significantly earlier than the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, when Hurricane Katrina hit much of the area now affected by the oil blowout. The major impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental health reflected the enormity of the devastation, including destruction of the infrastructure resulting in a dramatic and tragic loss of an entire system of care: hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses, and therapists among others. During the past five years, only a partial recovery has occurred; many people have persistent mental health symptoms, and others find that old symptoms are easily reawakened. After Hurricane Katrina, Kessler and colleagues demonstrated an increase in frequency and severity of mental health symptoms 1 along with a concomitant decrease in utilization of services and prescribed medications. 2 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) household needs assessment revealed that half of adults residing in New Orleans after the hurricane experienced psychological distress. 3 Surveys of first responders by Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) from 2006-2009 found persistently elevated symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, along with increased use of alcohol and rising levels of partner conflict. 4 LSUHSC also performed over 25 000 assessments on students between 2005 and 2010 returning to New Orleans, St Bernard, and Plaquemines Parish schools. 5 While the prevalence declined from 45% in 2005-2006 to 30% in 2006-2007, it has remained at that rate since. This persistently high level of distress has been attributed in part to the evacuation in 2008 for Hurricane Gustav; the economy; personal, family, and community complexities; and the persistent challenges of recovery from Katrina. Complex or repeated traumatic experiences, such as those occurring prior to and resulting from Hurricane Katrina, can lead to increased vulnerability. The Center of the Developing Child at Harvard describes such traumatic experiences as "toxic trauma" (http://developingchild .harvard.edu).

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Section: Mental Health Sequelae Of Previous Oil Spillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research in the impacted areas also needs to take into account the unique history and potential strengths and vulnerabilities of ethnic and cultural minorities in the population most affected; for example, Vietnamese fishing communities. [20][21][22]…”

Section: Mental Health Sequelae Of Previous Oil Spillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill

Osofsky¹,

Palinkas²,

Galloway³

2010

Disaster med. public health prep.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…These findings also underscore the need to consider the heterogeneity of Hispanic populations in disaster and environmental health disparities research. Intra-ethnic disaster and environmental health disparities have not received much attention in the literature (for exceptions, see 1,27,62,63), and this is particularly problematic in the case of US Hispanic populations, which are growing larger and becoming increasingly heterogeneous. This study revealed substantial intra-ethnic health disparities in El Paso, Texas, which is home to a relatively lowdiversity Hispanic population (almost exclusively white and of Mexican descent).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Intra-Ethnic Disparities in Respiratory Health Problems Among Hispanic Residents Impacted by a Flood

2013

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Objectives. The primary objective of this article is to assess the respiratory health impacts of a flood disaster on Hispanic people residing in the United States, with a focus on intra-ethnic disparities related to age, sex, socioeconomic status, mold exposure, family conflict, English-language proficiency, and a lack of US citizenship. Methods. Data were collected in 2010 after a flood disaster (2006) in El Paso County (Texas), which has a Hispanic majority population. A mail-out population-based survey was used retrospectively to assess respiratory health impacts for 363 people residing in 176 self-identified Hispanic households impacted by the flood; logistic regression was utilized to assess intra-ethnic health disparities in flood impacts. Results. About 41% of individuals experienced one or more post-flood respiratory health problem. Lower income (OR ¼ 0.532, p ¼ .002), mold exposure (OR ¼ 2.267, p < .001), increased family conflict (OR ¼ 1.452, p ¼ .025), English-language proficiency (OR ¼ 4.023, p < .001) and a lack of US citizenship (OR ¼ 13.111, p ¼ .013) were significantly associated with higher odds of respiratory health problems in the regression model. Conclusion. Statistical findings provide evidence of intra-ethnic disparities in post-flood respiratory health status. Specifically within this Hispanic sample, individuals with lower household incomes, whose homes were covered by larger surface areas of mold, and whose families were characterized by increased tension experienced higher odds of post-flood respiratory health problems. Interestingly, greater Englishlanguage proficiency and lacking US citizenship were also risk factors. Given that this is one of the first studies of intra-Hispanic disparities in health following a US-based disaster, the findings underscore the importance of considering diversity within the US Hispanic population when studying environmental and post-disaster respiratory health. J Asthma Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by University of British Columbia on 11/18/14 For personal use only. d Respiratory health problems include: asthma; more coughing/wheezing than before the 2006 floods; more coughing in sleep than before the 2006 floods; more asthma attacks than before the 2006 floods; more missed work/school because of coughing/ wheezing; lung or airway irritations or inflammation. e English proficiency is the sum of two variables: (a) English speaking proficiency and (b) English writing proficiency. 466 A. M. JIMENEZ ET AL. J Asthma Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by University of British Columbia on 11/18/14 For personal use only. 470 A. M. JIMENEZ ET AL. J Asthma Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by University of British Columbia on 11/18/14For personal use only.

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“…The participants expressed that refugees did not have much knowledge about how the city delivered emergency training to its general populations, though they and some other Vietnamese refugees had been exposed to some informal training at times, which did not seem to be adequate. Studies done with the Vietnamese communities in New Orleans for the impacts of Hurricane Katrina highlighted the similar disproportionate vulnerabilities that the communities were experiencing and which prevented them from mitigating and recovering from the disaster impacts, such as financial constraint, lack of health insurance and culturally competent health providers, cultural and linguistic isolation, lack of clear and consistent risk communication, and high prevalence of crime within the communities after the disaster (Airriess et al 2008;Chen et al 2007;Do et al 2009;Vu et al 2009). These vulnerabilities were also identified as the risk factors to compromise the Vietnamese New Orleanians' disaster mental health (Norris, VanLandingham, and Vu 2009;Vu and VanLandingham 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vietnamese Refugees’ Perspectives on their Community's Resilience in the Event of a Natural Disaster

Xin

Aronson

Lovelace

et al. 2014

International Journal of Mass Emergencies & Disasters

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Researchers have urged that community resilience be integrated in preparing for public emergencies to improve individuals’ resilience. This study explored Vietnamese refugees’ shared perspectives on their community resilience in the face of a natural disaster and factors that either facilitated or impeded their community resilience. Using ethnographic approach, 20 ethnic Vietnamese and Montagnard adult refugees living in North Carolina were interviewed, using a semi-structured interview guide. Three themes emerged from the data: (1) Greensboro is a good place to live, with many resources to draw on during a natural disaster; (2) The City can be trusted to respond effectively during a natural disaster especially because of the city government; and (3) The refugee community will face significant challenges. Future efforts should be directed to developing effective channels for refugees to access information, make connections with existing community resources, and facilitate collaboration among multiethnic groups when encountering a natural disaster.

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Disparities in health care among Vietnamese New Orleanians and the impacts of Hurricane Katrina

Cited by 11 publications

References 29 publications

Mental Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill

Mental Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill

Intra-Ethnic Disparities in Respiratory Health Problems Among Hispanic Residents Impacted by a Flood

Vietnamese Refugees’ Perspectives on their Community's Resilience in the Event of a Natural Disaster

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