New Study Indicates That People Who Experienced Prolonged Displacement from Their Homes after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Had Higher Rates of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Problems

Date: 1/31/2008
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

Adults forced from their homes for two weeks or more by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita were much more likely to report mental health and substance abuse problems than those who were not similarly dislocated, according to a report based on surveys conducted before and after these storms hit. 

The report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), however, also indicated that most adults affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita did not evidence increased levels of mental health or substance abuse problems.
 
“This report shows that most people are resilient – that they can overcome tremendous adversity,” said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. “But it also shows that when people are displaced from their homes it can be devastating, and that mental health resources can play a critical role in enabling them to fully recover from such a trauma.”

The report was based on data drawn from National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) surveys done before and after the storms hit.  The report focused on the data representing the approximately 14 million adults living in the Gulf State Disaster Area (regions of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas declared eligible for disaster relief).

For most adults in the hurricanes’ paths, the storms seemed to have little impact on substance use, substance use disorders, and mental health. For example, marijuana use among this population in the past month decreased from 5.1 percent in the period just before the hurricanes (July 2004 to June 2005), to 3.7 percent in 2006.  The level of serious psychological distress among the people in these areas also did not increase.

Data from the NSDUH study following the hurricanes indicates that adults in these affected areas had substance abuse and mental health problem levels roughly comparable to, or below, those of the general U.S. adult population.

The findings were dramatically different, however, when the researchers focused on data related to people who had been displaced from their homes for two weeks or longer by the storms.  This population evidenced considerably higher levels of substance abuse and serious psychological distress than those who had not undergone prolonged displacement.

Use of illicit drugs in the past month was reported by 10.5 percent of adults displaced for two weeks or longer compared to 4.9 percent for those who had not been dislocated.  Similarly, 25.7 percent of those experiencing prolonged dislocation suffered from serious psychological distress compared to 9.2 percent of those adults who had not been dislocated. The report also indicated that those who had been displaced for two weeks or longer by the storm had far higher levels of unmet mental health treatment needs than those who had not been displaced (9.0 percent vs. 3.5 percent).

The full report provides additional findings and background information on this and other studies dealing with populations that have suffered from large-scale disasters.  It also provides detailed breakdowns by demographic groups and other factors, and is available on the Web at http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/katrina/katrina.cfm . Copies may be obtained free of charge by calling SAMHSA’s Health Information Network at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). Request inventory number NSDUH 08-0131.  For related publications and information, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/ . 

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.