A recent study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health has found that those who have been repeatedly exposed to major disaster events show reduced mental health scores. Focusing on the Houston area, which was hit by many of the 33 FEMA declared major disasters in Texas from 2000 to 2020, the team of researchers sought to capture information on the physical and mental health of residents using responses to a 12-item short survey. From these results, it was found that for those who were exposed to two or more major disasters, their mental health scores fell below the national average.
Says Garett Sansom, research assistant professor in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health and lead author for the study, “We discovered the reverse of the adage ‘what does not kill you makes you stronger.’”
Sansom further notes “Mental health is often overlooked in responding to and preparing for hazard exposures. However, in order to reach community resilience efforts, mental conditions need to be accounted for.”
Source:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220116081920.htm
