Dislocation and Depression: Social Consequences of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Hurricane Katrina has been the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States, rendering 205,000 houses uninhabitable. Hurricane Rita also dislocated many residents. Previous disaster research has shown that the psychological consequences for the affected population often manifested themselves 1 to 2 years later. This article presents results from a 2007 survey of hurricane evacuees living in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailer parks in Louisiana regarding their emotional well-being. Almost 60% of respondents reported clinical levels of depressive symptoms. Adding hurricane-specific variables to a general model of depressive symptoms substantially increased the variance explained. Key factors are conditions within the trailer parks, such as sense of belonging and perception of obstacles to getting involved.