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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mental Distress Following the 2004 and 2005 Florida Hurricanes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 January 2019

Carol S. Fullerton ,
Holly B. Herberman Mash ,
Leming Wang ,
Joshua C. Morganstein  and
Robert J. Ursano
Carol S. Fullerton
Affiliation:
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
Holly B. Herberman Mash*
Affiliation:
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
Leming Wang
Affiliation:
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
Joshua C. Morganstein
Affiliation:
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
Robert J. Ursano
Affiliation:
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
*
Correspondence and reprint requests Holly B. Herberman Mash, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA (e-mail: [email protected]).
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Abstract

Objective

Community characteristics, such as perceived collective efficacy, a measure of community strength, can affect mental health outcomes following disasters. We examined the association of perceived collective efficacy with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and frequent mental distress (14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month) following exposure to the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.

Methods

Participants were 1486 Florida Department of Health workers who completed anonymous questionnaires that were distributed electronically 9 months after the 2005 hurricane season. Participant ages ranged from 20 to 79 years (mean, 48; SD, 10.7), and the majority were female (79%), white (75%), and currently married (64%). Fifty percent had a BA/BS degree or higher.

Results

In 2 separate logistic regression models, each adjusted for individual sociodemographics, community socioeconomic characteristics, individual injury/damage, and community storm damage, lower perceived collective efficacy was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of having PTSD (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.96), and lower collective efficacy was significantly associated with frequent mental distress (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.96).

Conclusions

Programs enhancing community collective efficacy may be a significant part of prevention practices and possibly lead to a reduction in the rate of PTSD and persistent distress postdisaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:44–52).

Keywords

stress disorderspost-traumatichurricanerescue worknatural disastersemergency responders
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 13 , Special Issue 1: Serial Hurricanes , February 2019 , pp. 44 - 52
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 

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