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Experiences of Communities Living in Shelters During the 2022 Eastern Kentucky Floods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 December 2024

Lilanthi Balasuriya ,
Oshea Johnson Open the ORCID record for Oshea Johnson [Opens in a new window] ,
Tammy Riley ,
Anthony Scott Lockard ,
Pamela McManus ,
Angela Raleigh ,
Martha Ellis ,
Amy Helene Schnall ,
Arianna Hanchey Open the ORCID record for Arianna Hanchey [Opens in a new window]  and
Sandra Darling
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Lilanthi Balasuriya*
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Oshea Johnson
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA Kentucky Department for Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Health Planning, Frankfort, KY
Tammy Riley
Affiliation:
Pike County Health Department, Pikeville, KY
Anthony Scott Lockard
Affiliation:
Kentucky River District Health Department, Hazard, KY
Pamela McManus
Affiliation:
Floyd County Health Department
Angela Raleigh
Affiliation:
Breathitt County Health Department, Jackson, KY
Martha Ellis
Affiliation:
Floyd County Health Department, Prestonsburg, KY
Amy Helene Schnall
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Arianna Hanchey
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Sandra Darling
Affiliation:
Kentucky Department for Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Health Planning, Frankfort, KY
Kristy Bolen
Affiliation:
Kentucky Department for Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Health Planning, Frankfort, KY
Doug Thoroughman
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA Kentucky Department for Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Health Planning, Frankfort, KY
*
Corresponding author: Lilanthi Balasuriya; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background

On July 28, 2022, floods in eastern Kentucky displaced over 600 individuals. With the goal of understanding mental health needs of affected families, we surveyed households living in flood evacuation shelters after the 2022 Kentucky floods.

Methods

Families experiencing displacement from the 2022 Kentucky floods currently living in three different temporary shelter locations were surveyed via convenience sampling. A rapid community needs assessment involving in-person interviews using modified two stage cluster methodology (CASPER) was conducted between September 6-9, 2022.

Results

Teams conducted 61 household interviews. Since the flood, 27.7% reported that their household received services from behavioral health and 19.6% received grief counseling. Experiencing agitation (36.7%), difficulty concentrating (47.5%), nightmares (62.3%), or suicidal thoughts/self-harm (6.6%) were reported by households surveyed. Over one-fourth (27.0%) of individuals surveyed reported being depressed nearly every day. Over 20% reported anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure) nearly every day. Over 75% of individuals surveyed reported being anxious several days or more over the last two weeks. Over one-third of individuals (34.0%) reported being unable to stop worrying nearly every day. Of those individuals surveyed, 36.1% reported barriers to mental health services.

Conclusions

Symptoms of depressed mood, anhedonia, anxiety, and nightmares were prevalent in displaced families six weeks after the 2022 Kentucky floods. Providing and encouraging access to mental health services are important priorities during disaster recovery.

Keywords

community assessmentCASPER assessmentrapid needs assessmentenvironmental disasterspublic health responsemental health
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 18 , 2024 , e309
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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