Looking for the Silver Lining: Benefit Finding after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Middle-Aged, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults

An Examination of Positive and Negative Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Persons With Multiple Sclerosis

IMPORTANCE

This study provides information to clinicians about how persons with MS coped in both positive and negative ways during a potentially traumatic experience (the coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19] pandemic), which will help clinicians to provide better services to this population in the face of stressful events.

OBJECTIVE

To describe both positive and negative outcomes among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to examine whether resilience and social support were related to positive and negative outcomes during the peak of the pandemic.

DESIGN

An online survey administered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 74 individuals with MS and 104 healthy controls (HCs) recruited through social media and community support groups.

OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The survey included questionnaires that assessed both positive and negative responses to the pandemic, including benefit finding, loneliness, and distress. Resilience and social support were also assessed.

RESULTS

Differences were noted between persons with MS and HCs on negative but not positive outcomes. Better social support and resilience were related to positive outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Both persons with MS and HCs were similar in benefit finding and stress management. However, negative outcomes were worse in the MS group. Our findings shed light on the importance of individuals with MS adopting a positive outlook to help during times of adversity. What This Article Adds: Among persons with disabilities such as multiple sclerosis, finding benefits during stressful times can be a potential coping mechanism. Furthermore, resilience and social support should be taken into account to moderate the effects of adverse events.

Religiosity and Social Support Predict Resilience in Older Adults After a Flood

In this study, we examined religiosity and social support as predictors of resilience after a devastating flood. Three flood exposure groups of primarily middle-aged and older adults were compared: (1) non-flooded adults as controls, (2) once-flooded adults with structural damage to homes and property in the 2016 flood, and (3) twice-flooded adults who had relocated inland because of prior catastrophic losses in the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and then flooded again in 2016. Resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Correlation analyses confirmed that older age was correlated with higher religiosity, charitable work done for others, and resilience. Regression analyses indicated that religious beliefs and coping, social support, and charitable work done for others were associated with higher levels of resilience, whereas flood damage was unrelated to resilience. Implications for current views on post-disaster adversity and resilience in later life are discussed.

Post-Traumatic Growth among Older People after the Forced Lockdown for the COVID-19 Pandemic

We explored post-traumatic growth (PTG) in older adults immediately after the forced lockdown in Spain during March to April, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also tried to identify the variables that predict PTG, focusing on the experience of COVID, sociodemographic variables, and social resources. In total 1,009 people aged 55 years and older participated in the study and completed an online questionnaire comprising the following elements: The short form of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-SF), sociodemographic and social resources questions, and their experiences of COVID-19 (if they had been infected themselves or if they had experienced the loss of someone close). Results showed that only a quarter of the participants experienced higher PTG after the forced lockdown, with only age and social resources being correlated with scores on the PTGI-SF. Looking at the strengths that older adults put into action to combat the pandemic and its social and health consequences could be an important consideration when planning future social policies for this and other pandemics.

Prevalence of benefit finding and posttraumatic growth in long-term cancer survivors: results from a multi-regional population-based survey in Germany

Background

Cancer studies reported mixed results on benefit finding (BF) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) prevalence and few were focused on long-term survivors.

Methods

BF and PTG were assessed in a multi-regional population-based study in Germany with 6952 breast, colorectal and prostate cancer survivors, using the Benefit Finding Scale and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. We calculated the age-adjusted prevalence, stratified by demographical and clinical characteristics.

Results

Overall, 66.0% of cancer survivors indicated moderate-to-high BF, and 20.5% moderate-to-high PTG. Age-adjusted prevalence of BF and PTG differed according to cancer type (breast > colorectal > prostate) and sex (female > male). BF and PTG prevalence were higher in younger than in older respondents; the age-adjusted prevalence was higher in respondents who survived more years after diagnosis. The strength and direction of associations of age-adjusted prevalence with cancer stage, disease recurrence, and time since diagnosis varied according to cancer type and sex.

Conclusions

A substantial proportion of long-term cancer survivors reported moderate-to-high BF and PTG. However, the prevalence was lower in older and male cancer survivors, and during the earlier years after cancer diagnosis. Further longitudinal studies on PTG and BF in cancer survivors are warranted to address heterogeneity in survivors’ experience after cancer diagnosis.

"That's the price of living in paradise:" coastal retirement and hurricanes

Coastal Carolina is a popular retirement destination. Ten individuals, previously interviewed regarding their decision to retire here, were re-interviewed after Hurricane Florence. This sample of eight women and two men, mean age 74.4 (range = 68-88), provided a unique opportunity to learn about their hurricane experiences and to compare their pre- and post-responses about their choice to move to the coast. Nine evacuated, including one to a local shelter. Respondents reported a lack of preparations, but neighbors played an important supportive role. Issues about the shelter and for single women were identified. Results have implications for future disaster preparations.

The predictors of COVID-19 anxiety and helping behaviour during the pandemic: An investigation within the framework of individual and national level resources

Governments have developed different policies against the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, individuals’ political trust, as well as their coping styles, seems to play a role in society’s reactions to this process. This study aims to examine the determinants of both the COVID-19 anxiety and the helping behavior during the pandemic within the framework of political trust and coping styles. The sample consists of 529 participants (340 females 189 males) from different cities in Turkey between the ages of 18–68. Coping Style Scale, Political Trust Inventory, Flourishing Scale and questionnaires measuring helping behaviour, perceived risk and COVID-19-related anxiety were used for data collection. The results showed that self-confident coping style and competence evaluations towards politicians predicted COVID-19 anxiety through perceived risk, while various coping styles and positive expectations towards politicians predicted helping behaviour through psychological well-being. This research contributes to literature by revealing the importance of individual and national level resources coping with COVID-19 crisis.

Silver linings of the COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption, distress, and loss of life around the world. While negative health, economic, and social consequences are being extensively studied, there has been less research on the resilience and post-traumatic growth that people show in the face of adversity. We investigated New Zealanders’ experiences of benefit-finding during the COVID-19 pandemic and analysed qualitative responses to a survey examining mental well-being during the New Zealand lockdown. A total of 1175 of 2010 eligible participants responded to an open-ended question probing ‘silver linings’ (i.e., positive aspects) they may have experienced during this period. We analysed these qualitative responses using a thematic analysis approach. Two thirds of participants identified silver linings from the lockdown and we developed two overarching themes: Surviving (coping well, meeting basic needs, and maintaining health) and thriving (self-development, reflection, and growth). Assessing positive as well as negative consequences of the pandemic provides more nuanced insights into the impact that New Zealand’s response had on mental well-being.

Wind disasters adaptation in cities in a changing climate: A systematic review

Wind-related disasters will bring more devastating consequences to cities in the future with a changing climate, but relevant studies have so far provided insufficient information to guide adaptation actions. This study aims to provide an in-depth elaboration of the contents discussed in open access literature regarding wind disaster adaptation in cities. We used the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to refine topics and main contents based on 232 publications (1900 to 2019) extracted from Web of Science and Scopus. We conducted a full-text analysis to filter out focal cities along with their adaptation measures. The results show that wind disaster adaptation research in cities has formed a systematic framework in four aspects: 1) vulnerability and resilience of cities, 2) damage evaluation, 3) response and recovery, and 4) health impacts of wind disaster. Climate change is the background for many articles discussing vulnerability and adaptation in coastal areas. It is also embedded in damage evaluation since it has the potential to exacerbate disaster consequences. The literature is strongly inclined towards more developed cities such as New York City and New Orleans, among which New York City associated with Hurricane Sandy ranks first (38/232). Studies on New York City cover all the aspects, including the health impacts of wind disasters which are significantly less studied now. Distinct differences do exist in the number of measures regarding the adaptation categories and their subcategories. We also find that hard adaptation measures (i.e., structural and physical measures) are far more popular than soft adaptation measures (i.e., social and institutional measures). Our findings suggest that policymakers should pay more attention to cities that have experienced major wind disasters other than New York. They should embrace the up-to-date climate change study to defend short-term disasters and take precautions against long-term changes. They should also develop hard-soft hybrid adaptation measures, with special attention on the soft side, and enhance the health impact study of wind-related disasters.

Psychological distress, anxiety, family violence, suicidality, and wellbeing in New Zealand during the COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional study

New Zealand's early response to the novel coronavirus pandemic included a strict lockdown which eliminated community transmission of COVID-19. However, this success was not without cost, both economic and social. In our study, we examined the psychological wellbeing of New Zealanders during the COVID-19 lockdown when restrictions reduced social contact, limited recreation opportunities, and resulted in job losses and financial insecurity. We conducted an online panel survey of a demographically representative sample of 2010 adult New Zealanders in April 2020. The survey contained three standardised measures-the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the GAD-7, and the Well-Being Index (WHO-5)-as well as questions designed specifically to measure family violence, suicidal ideation, and alcohol consumption. It also included items assessing positive aspects of the lockdown. Thirty percent of respondents reported moderate to severe psychological distress (K10), 16% moderate to high levels of anxiety, and 39% low wellbeing; well above baseline measures. Poorer outcomes were seen among young people and those who had lost jobs or had less work, those with poor health status, and who had past diagnoses of mental illness. Suicidal ideation was reported by 6%, with 2% reporting making plans for suicide and 2% reporting suicide attempts. Suicidality was highest in those aged 18-34. Just under 10% of participants had directly experienced some form of family harm over the lockdown period. However, not all consequences of the lockdown were negative, with 62% reporting 'silver linings', which included enjoying working from home, spending more time with family, and a quieter, less polluted environment. New Zealand's lockdown successfully eliminated COVID-19 from the community, but our results show this achievement brought a significant psychological toll. Although much of the debate about lockdown measures has focused on their economic effects, our findings emphasise the need to pay equal attention to their effects on psychological wellbeing.

Hurricane Harvey and Greater Houston households: comparing pre-event preparedness with post-event health effects, event exposures, and recovery

Most disaster studies rely on convenience sampling and 'after-only' designs to assess impacts. This paper, focusing on Hurricane Harvey (2017) and leveraging a pre-/post-event sample of Greater Houston households (n=71) in the United States, establishes baselines for disaster preparedness and home structure flood hazard mitigation, explores household-level ramifications, and examines how preparedness and mitigation relate to health effects, event exposures, and recovery. Between 70 and 80 per cent of participants instituted preparedness measures. Mitigation actions varied: six per cent had interior drainage systems and 83 per cent had elevated indoor heating/cooling components. Sixty per cent reported home damage. One-half highlighted allergies and two-thirds indicated some level of post-traumatic stress (PTS). Three-quarters worried about family members/friends. The results of generalised linear models revealed that greater pre- event mitigation was associated with fewer physical health problems and adverse experiences, lower PTS, and faster recovery. The study design exposed the broad benefits of home structure flood hazard mitigation for households after Harvey.

Mechanisms of resiliency against depression following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Prior studies of oil spills have reported adverse impacts on mental health, but have not examined some potentially important moderators. In this cross-sectional analysis of n=38,361 responses to the 2010-2011 Gulf States Population Survey, we assessed the association of direct oil contact with depression severity following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and modification by self-mastery, emotional support, and cleanup participation using Tobit regression models accounting for the complex survey design. Oil contact was associated with increased depression severity. Among respondents with oil contact, depression was more severe for those reporting lower self-mastery. However, respondents with oil contact had lower depression severity if they participated in cleanup efforts, compared to exposed individuals who did not participate. This potential protective effect was larger for respondents with lower self-mastery. Our results are consistent with the notion that participation in recovery efforts may reduce depressive symptoms following oil spills among impacted individuals.

Disaster preparedness of hillside residential area in Nagasaki city, Japan: evaluations regarding experiences related to a fire

Objective: An accidental fire that occurred in a hillside residential area in the city of Nagasaki was evaluated to assess the challenges faced by communities located on sloped terrains and to develop community-based support systems applicable to such hillside residential areas. Methods: Community observations and key-informant interviews were performed in the area affected by the fire. A self-administered questionnaire survey was also conducted among residents of the affected area. Information obtained through community observations of the fire-struck area and key-informant interviews was analyzed and assessed using a two-dimensional (2D) framework. Results: According to community observations and key-informant interviews, initial firefighting efforts were delayed due to lack of preparedness, in addition to geographic factors such as narrow roads and outdoor staircases, which allowed the fire to spread. The livelihood and health support measures for elderly residents requiring evacuation assistance were also insufficient. A hospital neighboring the area affected by the fire accident voluntarily provided some services to evacuees, but support from other nearby organizations/institutions was either not available or not offered. According to the questionnaire answers, elderly residents had little knowledge of the location and proper use of fire hydrants in their area. In addition, 65% of the respondents had never participated in disaster training exercises. From these results, the following three points could be determined: 1) The geographic features of the hillside residential area enhanced the spread of the fire. 2) The multi-sector support systems for evacuees were inadequate, collaboration among the existing systems was insufficient, and the roles of those systems were not fully clarified in advance. 3) Elderly residents in the hillside residential area did not have sufficient the knowledge and/or ability to engage in fire prevention activities and had inadequate firefighting skills. Conclusions: It is important to improve disaster preparedness knowledge and training for local residents on ordinary times. Additionally, cross-sector collaborative disaster response, harmonious management, and support systems must be ensured and sustained before, during, and after disasters.

Predicting patterns of disaster-related resiliency among older adult Typhoon Haiyan survivors

Reported natural disasters are steadily increasing, yet there is limited previous research explicitly exploring the predictors of disaster resiliency among older people from typhoon-hit provinces. This study examined the relationships between life satisfaction, attitude, spirituality and locus of control towards resiliency among older adult Typhoon Haiyan survivors. A descriptive correlational design was conducted among these survivors in the Eastern Philippines. Standard multiple linear regression analysis was used in the study. The findings indicated that spirituality and attitude were significant predictors of the survivors' resiliency. The spirituality and positive attitudes of the older adults were associated with disaster resiliency among the typhoon survivors. Thus, the findings suggest the need for nurse gerontologists to promote spirituality and encourage positive attitudes among older adults.

Understanding Older Adults’ Resilience During the Brisbane Floods: Social Capital, Life Experience, and Optimism

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore how social capital or the impact of life and previous disaster experience facilitated resilience in older adults who experienced the 2011 and 2013 floods in Brisbane, Australia.

Methods

Data were drawn from in-depth interviews of 10 older adults from Brisbane who were evacuated in both the 2011 and 2013 floods. A combined qualitative approach drawing from the methods of constructivist grounded theory and narrative inquiry was applied and the data were analyzed by using (inductive) line-by-line and axial coding.

Results

The narratives of the older adults revealed a strong theme of resilience linked to social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking) and previous disaster experience. The results reflected the changing face of disaster management strategies and sources of social capital.

Conclusions

Changes in disaster management polices (toward self-reliance) and more formalized sources of social capital highlight the need to build strong and healthy resilient communities that are capable of positively recovering from natural disasters. The results from this research emphasize the importance of initiatives that enhance social cohesion, trust, and social capital within local communities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:72–79)

Challenges Faced and Support Received: Older Adults' Perceptions of Hurricane Sandy

OBJECTIVE

Individuals exposed to natural disasters are at risk for negative physical and psychological outcomes. Older adults may be particularly vulnerable; however, social support can act as a resource to help individuals respond to severe stressors. This study explored the challenges older people faced before, during, and after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and the people they turned to for support.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 older adults in New Jersey drawn from the ORANJ BOWL (Ongoing Research on Aging in New Jersey - Bettering Opportunities for Wellness in Life) research panel, who experienced high levels of primary home damage during Hurricane Sandy. Content analysis of interview transcripts classified older adults' perceptions on how they "made it" through-the challenges they faced and the support they received.

RESULTS

The findings suggested that older adults experienced emotional, instrumental, social, and financial challenges before, during, and after the storm. However, by relying on family and friends, as well as neighbors and community networks, older people were able to respond to stressors.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings carry implications for ensuring that older adults are connected to social networks before, during, and after disasters. The role of neighbors is particularly important when disasters strike. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:39-47).