Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T14:04:34.280Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Older Adults and Social Support in a Disaster Context: Did Relocation Matter for Access to Social Network Resources After the 2015 South Carolina Flood?

Part of: Floods collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2019

Marian Botchway Open the ORCID record for Marian Botchway [Opens in a new window] ,
Ana Teixeira  and
Spencer Moore
Marian Botchway*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Ana Teixeira
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Spencer Moore
Affiliation:
Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Marian Botchway, 4143 Jenkins and Nanovic Halls, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (e-mail: [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to examine social network characteristics and social support (emotional and instrumental support) and to determine how those factors differed between relocating older adults and nonrelocating older adults who were affected by the 2015 flood in South Carolina.

Methods:

Twenty-five community-dwelling elderly (CDE) were interviewed between December 2015 and May 2016 to learn about their experiences in the immediate aftermath of the flood. Ego-centric network data were collected with a focus on social network members and the types of flood-related support that these network members provided.

Results:

Ten of 25 CDE relocated because of the flood. All CDE were more likely to receive social support from female network members and family members than from other acquaintances. Relocating CDE received significantly less emotional support in comparison to nonrelocating CDE. The odds of receiving instrumental support were higher, but nonsignificant, among relocating CDE in comparison to nonrelocating CDE.

Conclusions:

The findings around the support provision are concerning particularly because of the additional psychological burden that relocation can place on flood-affected, older adults. Recommendations for public health preparedness strategies are provided in addition to future research directions for examining the well-being of flood-affected, older adults.

Keywords

older adultsrelocationnatural disasterssocial support
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 50 - 57
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Okamoto, N, Greiner, C, Paul, G. Lesson and learned from the older people in case of Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011. Proc Eng. 2015;107:133-139. doi: 10.1016/j.proeng.2015.06.066 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tuohy, R, Stephens, C. Older adults’ narratives about a flood disaster: resilience, coherence, and personal identity. J Aging Stud. 2012;26(1):26-34. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2011.06.002 Google Scholar
Sanders, S, Bowie, SL, Dias Bowie, Y. Chapter 2: lessons learned on forced relocation of older adults. J Gerontological Social Work. 2004;40(4):23-35. doi: 10.1300/J083v40n04_03 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watanabe, C, Okumura, J, Chiu, T-Y, et al. Social support and depressive symptoms among displaced older adults following the 1999 Taiwan earthquake. J Trauma Stress. 2004;17(1):63-67. doi: 10.1023/B:JOTS.0000014678.79875.30 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Phifer, JF, Kaniasty, KZ, Norris, FH. The impact of natural disaster on the health of older adults: a multiwave prospective study. J Health Soc Behav. 1988;29(1):65-78. doi: 10.2307/2137181 Google ScholarPubMed
Jia, Z, Tian, W, Liu, W, et al. Are the elderly more vulnerable to psychological impact of natural disaster? A population-based survey of adult survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. BMC Public Health. 2010;10:172. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-172 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pekovic, V, Seff, L, Rothman, M. Planning for and responding to special needs of elders in natural disasters. Generations. 2007;31(4):37-41.Google Scholar
Bei, B, Bryant, C, Gilson, KM, et al. A prospective study of the impact of floods on the mental and physical health of older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2013;17(8):992-1002. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.799119 Google ScholarPubMed
Kamo, Y, Henderson, TL, Roberto, KA. Displaced older adults’ reactions to and coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. J Fam Issues. 2011;32(10):1346-1370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, Z, Shi, Z, Wang, L, et al. Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression among the elderly: a survey of the hard-hit areas a year after the Wenchuan earthquake. Stress Health. 2012;28(1):61-68. doi: 10.1002/smi.1403 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ngo, EB. When disasters and age collide: reviewing vulnerability of the elderly. Nat Hazards Rev. 2001;2(2):80-89. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2001)2:2(80)Google Scholar
Brown, LM, Frahm, KA. Chapter 17 - The impact of disasters: implications for the well-being of older adults. In: Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences (Eighth Edition). San Diego: Academic Press; 2016:357-374. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-417235-7.00017-2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maloney, MC, Preston, BL. A geospatial dataset for U.S. hurricane storm surge and sea-level rise vulnerability: development and case study applications. Clim Risk Manag. 2014;2:26-41. doi: 10.1016/j.crm.2014.02.004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Der Vink, G, Allen, RM, Chapin, J, et al. Why the United States is becoming more vulnerable to natural disasters. Eos Trans Am Geophys Union. 2006;79(44):533-537. doi: 10.1029/98EO00390.Google Scholar
Jungers, CM. Leaving home: an examination of late-life relocation among older adults. J Couns Dev. 2010;88(4):416-423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lutgendorf, SK, Reimer, TT, Harvey, JH, et al. Effects of housing relocation on immunocompetence and psychosocial functioning in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001;56(2):M97-M105.Google ScholarPubMed
Chao, S-F. Social support, coping strategies and their correlations with older adults’ relocation adjustments after natural disaster. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2017;17(6):1006-1014. doi: 10.1111/ggi.12807 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heid, AR, Schug, S, Cartwright, FP, et al. Challenges faced and support received: older adults’ perceptions of Hurricane Sandy. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2017;11(1):39-47. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2016.133 Google ScholarPubMed
Roberto, KA, Kamo, Y, Henderson, T. Encounters with Katrina: dynamics of older adults’ social support networks. In: Lifespan Perspectives on Natural Disasters. New York, NY: Springer; 2009:133-152. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-0393-8_7 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Claver, M, Dobalian, A, Fickel, JJ, et al. Comprehensive care for vulnerable elderly veterans during disasters. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2013;56(1):205-213. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2012.07.010 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Berkman, LF, Glass, T. Social integration, social networks, social support, and health. In: Social Epidemiology. Cambridge: Oxford University Press; 2000:137-173.Google Scholar
Tyler, KA. The impact of support received and support provision on changes in perceived social support among older adults. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2006;62(1):21-38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cherry, KE, Sampson, L, Nezat, PF, et al. Long-term psychological outcomes in older adults after disaster: relationships to religiosity and social support. Aging Ment Health. 2015;19(5):430-443. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2014.941325 Google ScholarPubMed
Kim, H, Zakour, M. Disaster preparedness among older adults: social support, community participation, and demographic characteristics. J Soc Serv Res. 2017;43(4):498-509. doi: 10.1080/01488376.2017.1321081 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ticehurst, S, Webster, RA, Carr, VJ, et al. The psychosocial impact of an earthquake on the elderly. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 1999;11(11):943-951. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1166(199611)11:11<943:AID-GPS412>3.0.CO;2-B Google Scholar
Kawachi, I, Berkman, LF. Social ties and mental health. J Urban Health. 2001;78(3):458-467. doi: 10.1093/jurban/78.3.458 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, SE. Social support. In: Foundations of Health Psychology. New York: Oxford University Press; 2006:145-171.Google Scholar
Gallant, MP, Spitze, GD, Prohaska, TR. Help or hindrance? How family and friends influence chronic illness self-management among older adults. Res Aging. 2007;29(5):375-409. doi: 10.1177/0164027507303169 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chung, S, Jeon, H, Song, A. The influence of social networks and social support on health among older Koreans at high risk of depression. Care Manag J. 2016;17(2):70-80. doi: 10.1891/1521-0987.17.2.70 Google ScholarPubMed
Kurdek, LA, Schmitt, JP. Perceived emotional support from family and friends in members of homosexual, married, and heterosexual cohabiting couples. J Homosex. 1987;14(3-4):57-68. doi: 10.1300/J082v14n03_04 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adams, RG, Blieszner, R. Aging well with friends and family. Am Behav Sci. 1995;39(2):209-224. doi: 10.1177/0002764295039002008 Google Scholar
Benkel, I, Wijk, H, Molander, U. Family and friends provide most social support for the bereaved. Palliat Med. 2009;23(2):141-149. doi: 10.1177/0269216308098798 Google ScholarPubMed
Norris, FH, Baker, CK, Murphy, AD, et al. Social support mobilization and deterioration after Mexico’s 1999 flood: effects of context, gender, and time. Am J Community Psychol. 2005;36(1-2):15-28. doi:10.1007/s10464-005-6230-9 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haines, VA, Beggs, JJ, Hurlbert, JS. Contextualizing health outcomes: do effects of network structure differ for women and men? Sex Roles. 2008;59(3-4):164-175. doi: 10.1007/s11199-008-9441-3 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
U.S. Department of Commerce. The Historic South Carolina Floods of October 1-5, 2015. 2016. https://www.weather.gov/media/publications/assessments/SCFlooding_072216_Signed_Final.pdf. (Accessed November 4, 2019).Google Scholar
Carolina Integrated Sciences and Assessments. The South Carolina Floods of October 2015. http://www.cisa.sc.edu/PDFs/October%202015%20Flood%20Event%204%20Pager.pdf. (Accessed April 30, 2018).Google Scholar
South Carolina Emergency Management Division. October, 2015 Statewide Flooding Incident. http://www.scemd.org/scflood. (Accessed April 8, 2018).Google Scholar
Hlebec, V, Kogovšek, T. How (not) to measure social support networks: the name generator vs. the role relation approach. Metodoloski Zvezki. 2011;8:191-207.Google Scholar
Perkins, JM, Subramanian, SV, Christakis, NA. Social networks and health: a systematic review of sociocentric network studies in low- and middle-income countries. Soc Sci Med. 2015;125:60-78. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.08.019 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adams, RE, Urosevich, TG, Hoffman, SN, et al. Social support, help-seeking, and mental health outcomes among veterans in non-VA facilities: results from the Veterans’ Health Study. Mil Behav Health. 2017;5(4):393-405. doi: 10.1080/21635781.2017.1333067 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seeman, TE, Berkman, LF. Structural characteristics of social networks and their relationship with social support in the elderly: who provides support. Soc Sci Med. 1988;26(7):737-749. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(88)90065-2 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haines, VA, Hurlbert, JS, Beggs, JJ. Exploring the determinants of support provision: provider characteristics, personal networks, community contexts, and support following life events. J Health Soc Behav. 1996;37(3):252-264. doi: 10.2307/2137295 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
StataCorp. Stata Statistical Software: Release 14. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP; 2015.Google Scholar
Merlo, J, Chaix, B, Ohlsson, H, et al. A brief conceptual tutorial of multilevel analysis in social epidemiology: using measures of clustering in multilevel logistic regression to investigate contextual phenomena. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2006;60(4):290-297. doi: 10.1136/jech.2004.029454 Google ScholarPubMed
Krause, NM. Aging in the Church: How Social Relationships Affect Health. 1st ed. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press; 2008.Google Scholar
Krause, N. Church-based social support and health in old age: exploring variations by race. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2002;57(6):S332-S347. doi: 10.1093/geronb/57.6.S332 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferris, E. Faith-based and secular humanitarian organizations. Int Rev Red Cross. 2005;87(858):311-325. doi: 10.1017/S1816383100181366 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosland, AM, Piette, JD. Emerging models for mobilizing family support for chronic disease management: a structured review. Chronic Illn. 2010;6(1):7-21. doi: 10.1177/1742395309352254 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shor, E, Roelfs, DJ, Yogev, T. The strength of family ties: a meta-analysis and meta-regression of self-reported social support and mortality. Soc Netw. 2013;35(4):626-638. doi: 10.1016/j.socnet.2013.08.004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, S, Syme, SL. Issues in the study and application of social support. In: Social Support and Health. 1st ed. San Francisco: Academic Press; 1985:3-22.Google ScholarPubMed
Wu, Z, Penning, MJ, Zeng, W, et al. Relocation and social support among older adults in rural China. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2016;71(6):1108-1119. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbu187 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Xi, J, Hwang, S-S, Drentea, P. Experiencing a forced relocation at different life stages: the effects of china’s three gorges project-induced relocation on depression. Soc Ment Health. 2013;3(1):59-76. doi: 10.1177/2156869312458291 Google Scholar