Home-Based Care and Mental Health during a Disaster: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Disasters adversely affect individuals’ mental health; yet, research is scant on the mental health needs of frontline workers during and immediately after disasters. Our study explored this gap through the perspectives of home-based care providers (HBCP) who provided care during and after Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. In this qualitative study, five in-person focus groups were held between January and November 2019 with 25 HBCP drawn from home health care agencies in southern Florida and the Greater Houston Area. Four themes were identified using an abductive analytic approach: HBCPs’ disaster-related mental health needs; HBCP resilience in the context of disaster; psychological tensions associated with simultaneously caring for self, family, and patients; and supporting patients’ mental health needs during and after disaster. Our data suggest that HBCP may benefit from formal training and interventions to support their own mental health as well as that of their patients in the context of disasters.

Experiences of Veterans, Caregivers, and VA Home-Based Care Providers before, during, and Post-Hurricane Ian

“…In equal measure, cultivating necessary social support—for older adults, their caregivers, and healthcare teams—is imperative following such events. One recent study focused on the mental health toll Hurricanes Irma and Harvey took on home-based providers, much like those in our study [ 42 ]. Future studies should consider the importance of supporting healthcare staff post-major disasters, especially as in-home care increases.…”