441 - Impact of Successive Disasters on Children’s Well-being in Three Medically Underserved Houston Communities

Publication Number: 441.5162

Omolola E. Adepoju, Tilman J Fertitta College of Medicine, University of Houston, HOuston, TX, United States; Mary E. Tipton, University of Houston College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States

Background: Recent natural disasters have highlighted the urgent need to improve preparedness for children. Preparedness is even more critical in Houston, Texas, one of the most diverse cities in America, which has also endured several federally declared disasters.

Objective: This study assessed the impact of successive disaster events on children in three historically medically underserved communities in Houston.

Design/Methods: Partnering with five community-based organizations, we organized three town hall-style events to explore the lived experiences of residents in three communities—Greater Fifth Ward, Greater Third Ward, and Kashmere Gardens—focusing on the impact of successive disasters on their physical and mental health. We selected these communities because of their proximity to the Houston Bayou and the proportion of homes that flooded in the recent disaster events over the past five years. Because the events occurred in the evenings (6-8 pm), kids ( < 18) attended these events with their parents. Informed consent was obtained from all participants and their parents, and they were offered monetary incentives for their time. A total of 36 kids and 105 adults were in attendance. After introductions, kid participants separated into smaller groups for more focused discussions. A rapid qualitative analysis approach was used to identify themes.

Results: The mean age of kids in the conversation was 12.4 years. 43% identified as Hispanic and 57% as Black. Kids indicated overwhelmingly that while they lost power for several days, “the floods didn’t really affect me” and “we were able to charge phones in cars”. All kids, however, mentioned that the disaster events were stressful for their parents, indicating that their parents worried about how much it would cost to fix the house, their parent's inability to go to work, and the fact that food in the refrigerator was spoilt. Participants indicated that their parents contacted family members and friends as part of coping, while 40% mentioned that their parents contacted the power company. All but one participant noted that their parents considered applying for FEMA. Of those who applied, 100% of participants indicated that their parents’ claims were denied or still pending. When probed for overall physical and mental health status based on the CDC HRQ0L scale, participants rated their physical health as excellent or very good.

Conclusion(s): Despite successive disasters, children reported good physical and mental health but highlighted the physical and mental health toll on their parents.