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El Haddad M, Zeghnoun A, Richard JB, Saoudi A, Pédrono G, Perrine AL, Motreff Y, Blanchard M, Morel P, Le Lay E, Golliot F, Empereur-Bissonnet P. Health-related quality of life 1 year after a large-scale industrial fire among exposed inhabitants of Rouen, France: 'The Post Fire 76 Health' study. Eur J Public Health 2024; 34:550-556. [PMID: 38507556 PMCID: PMC11161166 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckae047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A large-scale industrial fire occurred in Rouen, France, in 2019. This study assessed the health-related quality of life of people exposed to its consequences 1 year later. METHODS The study population comprised inhabitants of the exposed area and a non-exposed area. A representative sample was randomly selected using a stratified design. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire to describe fire exposure and to calculate three health-related quality of life scores according to the SF12-v2 scale. After adjustment, descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS The sample comprised 4773 participants (response rate 47.7%). In the exposed area, the average mental, physical and overall health scores were 47.5, 52.0 and 73.8 out of 100, respectively. Mean mental and overall health scores were higher in the non-exposed area (49.0 and 76.0, respectively). After adjustment, a lower mental health score was associated with a higher number of perceived types of exposure, reaching -3.72 points [-5.41; -2.04] for five or more different types of perceived exposure. A lower mental health score was associated with soot deposits (-1.04 [-1.70; -0.39]), perceiving odours [(-2.04 [-3.22; -0.86]) up to the day of data collection], and having seen, heard or been awakened by the fire (-1.21 [-1.90; -0.52]). A slightly lower physical health score was associated with soot deposits (-0.57 [-1.07; -0.08]). CONCLUSION This study highlighted associations between exposure to the consequences of the industrial fire in Rouen and a deterioration of perceived health-related quality of life 1 year later, particularly the mental health dimension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria El Haddad
- Data Science Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
| | - Abdelkrim Zeghnoun
- Data Science Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
| | | | - Abdessattar Saoudi
- Data Science Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
| | - Gaëlle Pédrono
- Data Science Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
| | - Anne-Laure Perrine
- Data Science Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
| | - Yvon Motreff
- Non-Communicable Diseases and Trauma Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
- Department of Social Epidemiology, Inserm, Sorbonne Université, Institut Pierre Louis d’Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Paris, France
| | - Myriam Blanchard
- Regional Division, French National Public Health Agency, Normandy, France
| | - Pauline Morel
- Regional Division, French National Public Health Agency, Normandy, France
| | - Emmanuelle Le Lay
- International Scientific Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
| | - Franck Golliot
- Regional Division, French National Public Health Agency, Saint Maurice, France
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Pike CE, Dohnt HC, Tully PJ, Bartik W, Welton-Mitchell C, Murray CV, Rice K, Cosh SM, Lykins AD. A Community Mental Health Integrated Disaster Preparedness Intervention for Bushfire Recovery in Rural Australian Communities: Protocol for a Multimethods Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2024; 13:e53454. [PMID: 38833279 PMCID: PMC11185912 DOI: 10.2196/53454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural hazards are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. Many of these natural disasters cannot be prevented; what may be reduced is the extent of the risk and negative impact on people and property. Research indicates that the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia (also known as the "Black Summer Bushfires") resulted in significant psychological distress among Australians both directly and indirectly exposed to the fires. Previous intervention research suggests that communities impacted by natural hazards (eg, earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods) can benefit from interventions that integrate mental health and social support components within disaster preparedness frameworks. Research suggests that disaster-affected communities often prefer the support of community leaders, local services, and preexisting relationships over external supports, highlighting that community-based interventions, where knowledge stays within the local community, are highly beneficial. The Community-Based Disaster Mental Health Intervention (CBDMHI) is an evidence-based approach that aims to increase disaster preparedness, resilience, social cohesion, and social support (disaster-related help-seeking), and decrease mental health symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. OBJECTIVE This research aims to gain insight into rural Australian's recovery needs post natural hazards, and to enhance community resilience in advance of future fires. Specifically, this research aims to adapt the CBDMHI for the rural Australian context and for bushfires and second, to assess the acceptability and feasibility of the adapted CBDMHI in a rural Australian community. METHODS Phase 1 consists of qualitative interviews (individual or dyads) with members of the target bushfire-affected rural community. Analysis of these data will include identifying themes related to disaster preparedness, social cohesion, and mental health, which will inform the adaptation. An initial consultation phase is a key component of the adaptation process and, therefore, phase 2 will involve additional discussion with key stakeholders and members of the community to further guide adaptation of the CBDMHI to specific community needs, building on phase 1 inputs. Phase 3 includes identifying and training local community leaders in the adapted intervention. Following this, leaders will co-deliver the intervention. The acceptability and feasibility of the adapted CBDMHI within the community will be evaluated by questionnaires and semistructured interviews. Effectiveness will be evaluated by quantifying psychological distress, resilience, community cohesion, psychological preparedness, and help-seeking intentions. RESULTS This study has received institutional review board approval and commenced phase 1 recruitment in October 2022. CONCLUSIONS The study will identify if the adapted CBDMHI is viable and acceptable within a village in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. These findings will inform future scale-up in the broader rural Australian context. If this intervention is well received, the CBDMHI may be valuable for future disaster recovery and preparedness efforts in rural Australia. These findings may inform future scale-up in the broader rural Australian context. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/53454.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Pike
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Henriette C Dohnt
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Phillip J Tully
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Warren Bartik
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | | | - Clara V Murray
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Kylie Rice
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Suzanne M Cosh
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Amy D Lykins
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
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Ryan SC, Sugg MM, Runkle JD, Wertis L, Singh D, Green S. Short-term changes in mental health help-seeking behaviors following exposure to multiple social stressors and a natural disaster. Soc Sci Med 2024; 348:116843. [PMID: 38603916 PMCID: PMC11134597 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
In 2020, unprecedented circumstances led to significant mental health consequences. Individuals faced mental health stressors that extended beyond the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including widespread social unrest following the murder of George Floyd, an intense hurricane season in the Atlantic, and the politically divisive 2020 election. The objective of this analysis was to consider changes in help-seeking behavior following exposure to multiple social stressors and a natural disaster. Data from Crisis Text Line (CTL), a national text-based mental health crisis counseling service, was used to determine how help-seeking behavior changed in the wake of each event. Wilcoxon rank sum tests assessed changes in help-seeking behavior for each event in 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019. AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models examined if changes in crisis conversation volumes following each event differed. Higher median conversation volumes noted for the COVID-19 pandemic (+1 to +5 conversations), Hurricane Laura (+1 to +7 conversations) and the 2020 Election (+1 to +26 conversations). ARIMA models show substantial increases in help-seeking behavior following the declaration of a national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic (+4.3 to +38.2%) and following the 2020 election (+3 to +24.44%). Our analysis found that the mental health response following social stressors may be distinct from natural events, especially when natural disasters occur in the context of multiple social stressors. This analysis adds to the growing body of literature considering the mental health impact of exposure to multiple co-occurring societal stressors, like police violence and a global pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia C Ryan
- Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, Boone NC, 28607, USA.
| | - Margaret M Sugg
- Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, Boone NC, 28607, USA
| | - Jennifer D Runkle
- North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC, 27695, USA
| | - Luke Wertis
- Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, Boone NC, 28607, USA
| | - Devyani Singh
- Data Team, Crisis Text Line, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Shannon Green
- Data Team, Crisis Text Line, New York City, New York, USA
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Khuwaja AH, Memon KN, Khidri FF, Riaz H, Khuwaja IUH. Vulnerability, Preparedness, and Previous Experience of Disasters Among the Population of a High Hazard Region-Rural Southern Sindh, Pakistan. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2024; 18:e69. [PMID: 38623742 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2024.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
A cross-sectional, mixed-method study was conducted in Badin, a rural area in southern Sindh, which is considered a high-risk disaster zone, to assess the vulnerability, preparedness, and disaster experiences of the coastal population. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select the villages, study area, and 3 distinct populations (I, II, and III). Family heads of households were recruited for population I, village heads for population II, and community support group leaders from selected clusters for population III. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews. The results revealed that the population of rural southern Sindh, Pakistan, is highly vulnerable to disasters and exhibits lower levels of preparedness. The statistics about the vulnerable population may prove helpful in designing policies targeting specific groups to mitigate hazards in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Hussain Khuwaja
- Maternal and Child Health Care Centre (MCHC), Badin, Pakistan
- Community Medicine Department, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
| | - Khalida Naz Memon
- Community Medicine Department, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
| | - Feriha Fatima Khidri
- Biochemistry Department, Bilawal Medical College, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Medical Research Centre, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
| | - Hina Riaz
- Physiology Department, Dow University of Health Sciences, Pakistan
| | - Imran Ul Hassan Khuwaja
- Sindh Services, General Administration, Coordination Department, Government of Sindh, Pakistan
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Auchincloss AH, Ruggiero DA, Donnelly MT, Chernak ED, Kephart JL. Adolescent mental distress in the wake of climate disasters. Prev Med Rep 2024; 39:102651. [PMID: 38405174 PMCID: PMC10884511 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Retrospective exposure to a higher number and prolonged duration of climate-related disasters could be positively associated with adolescent mental distress. Methods Person-level data came from 38,616 high-school students residing in 22 urban public-school districts in 14 states (U.S. Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2019). Each district's federally declared climate-related catastrophes (severe storms, floods, wildfire, etc.) came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Logistic regression models estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of adolescent mental distress (MD, using survey responses feeling prolonged sadness/ hopelessness and short sleep duration) according to disaster events and days during three exposure periods (past 2-, 5-, 10-years); adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic disadvantage, feeling unsafe at school, district area size, district poverty, and region. Results Over 10 years, the median number of disaster events was 3 and total disaster days was 64. Adolescents experiencing the highest number of disaster days (top quartile vs. less) had 25% higher odds of MD when exposed within the past 2-years (aOR 1.25 [95% CI 1.14, 1.38]), and 20% higher odds of MD when exposed within the past 5-years (aOR 1.20 95% CI 1.07, 1.35). The odds of MD were not statistically associated with exposure periods that extended to 10 years, nor disaster events (instead of disaster days, all p-values > 0.1). Conclusions Severe weather will become more frequent and last longer with human-induced climate warming. More studies like this are needed to understand the broad range of adverse effects and enhance planning and preparedness including preparing for worsening mental health among adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy H. Auchincloss
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Urban Health Collaborative, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dominic A. Ruggiero
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Meghan T. Donnelly
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Esther D. Chernak
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Josiah L. Kephart
- Urban Health Collaborative, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Lee KH, Lee S, Ryu J, Chun S, Heo J. Geographically varying associations between mentally unhealthy days and social vulnerability in the USA. Public Health 2023; 222:13-20. [PMID: 37499437 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A growing body of research has incorporated the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) into an expanded understanding of the social determinants of health. Although each component of SVI and its association with individual-level mental health conditions have been well discussed, variation in mentally unhealthy days (MUDs) at a county level is still unexplored. To systematically examine the geographically varying relationships between SVI and MUDs across the US counties, our study adopted two different methods: 1) aspatial regression modeling (ordinary least square [OLS]); and 2) locally calibrated spatial regression (geographically weighted regression [GWR]). STUDY DESIGN This study used a cross-sectional statistical design and geospatial data manipulation/analysis techniques. Analytical unit is each of the 3109 counties in the continental USA. METHODS We tested the model performance of two different methods and suggest using both methods to reduce potential issues (e.g., Simpson's paradox) when researchers apply aspatial analysis to spatially coded data sets. We applied GWR after checking the spatial dependence of residuals and non-stationary issues in OLS. GWR split a single OLS equation into 3109 equations for each county. RESULTS Among 15 SVI variables, a combination of eight variables showed the best model performance. Notably, unemployment, person with a disability, and single-parent households with children aged under 18 years especially impacted the variation of MUDs in OLS. GWR showed better model performance than OLS and specified each county's varying relationships between subcomponents of SVI and MUDs. For example, GWR specified that 69.3% (2157 of 3109) of counties showed positive relationships between single-parent households and MUDs across the USA. Higher positive relationships were concentrated in Michigan, Kansas, Texas, and Louisiana. CONCLUSIONS Our findings could contribute to the literature regarding social determinants of community mental health by specifying spatially varying relationships between SVI and MUDs across US counties. Regarding policy implementation, in counties containing more social and physical minorities (e.g., single-parent households and disabled population), policymakers should attend to these groups of people and increase intervention programs to reduce potential or current mental health illness. The results of GWR could help policymakers determine the specific counties that need more support to reduce regional mental health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Hee Lee
- Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration, Central Michigan University, USA.
| | - Sunwoo Lee
- The Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Třída Míru 117, 77111 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jungsu Ryu
- Department of Sport Management, Marshall University, USA
| | - Sanghee Chun
- Department of Recreation & Leisure Studies, Brock University, Canada
| | - Jinmoo Heo
- Department of Sports Industry Studies, Yonsei University, South Korea
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Public health implications of multiple disaster exposures. Lancet Public Health 2022; 7:e274-e286. [DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(21)00255-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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