Background is a significant factor in how one is likely to weather a natural disaster, both physically and mentally, according to a new study from the Boston University School of Public Health. The study found that those from disadvantaged backgrounds were disproportionally more likely to suffer home loss in a disaster, and also more likely to develop mental and physical functional limitations in the years following home loss.
The study extends previous research which used population-averaged data, and instead identifies subgroups of vulnerable populations, including the elderly, those living alone, those with less education, and the unemployed.
Says Dr. Koichiro Shiba, assistant professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health and study lead, “Our study moved beyond the traditional finding on population-average effects and identified complex effect heterogeneity. These results help policymakers by providing insights on the impacts that disaster damages may have on health disparities, which analysis of population-average effects ignores. The results can also be used to identify which subpopulations need to be prioritized in post-disaster public health supports.”
Source:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230104115015.htm
