Research Briefs ColumnDifferences in Emotional Well-being of Hurricane Survivors: A Secondary Analysis of the ABC News Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Poll
Section snippets
Method
A secondary analysis was performed using the ABC News Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Poll conducted in August 2006. Data were obtained through the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research in June 2008. Data were collected from a sample of 501 participants selected from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-designated counties through random-digit dialing. Survey information included general demographics and dichotomous (yes–no) data documenting the presence of
Emotional Well-being and Gender
Overall, 39.6% (n = 196) of the participants reported a long-term negative impact on emotional well-being. Of the 196 participants, 32.6% (n = 63) of the men and 44% (n = 133) of the women reported negative impact on emotional well-being 1 year after the hurricane disaster. Chi-square testing for independence (with Yates Continuity Correction) demonstrated a statistically significant association between reported negative emotional well-being and gender, with females having more long-term
Discussion
There are several important findings from this secondary analysis that warrant discussion. The finding that more women reported long-term negative impact on emotional well-being is consistent with literature documenting increased incidence of major depressive disorders among women after a hurricane disaster (Kim et al., 2008, Shehab et al., 2008, August). This finding may hold important practice implications when considering continued research with those at greatest risk for mental health
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