Health Disparities and Climate Change: The Intersection of Three Disaster Events on Vulnerable Communities in Houston, Texas

Omolola E. Adepoju, Daikwon Han, Minji Chae, Kendra L. Smith, Lauren Gilbert, Sumaita Choudhury and LeChauncy Woodard
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Omolola E. Adepoju: Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, University of Houston College of Medicine, 4849 Calhoun Road, Bldg 2, Houston, TX 77204, USA
Daikwon Han: Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Texas A&M School of Public Health, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Minji Chae: Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
Kendra L. Smith: Smith Research & Consulting LLC, Spring, TX 77386, USA
Lauren Gilbert: Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, University of Houston College of Medicine, 4849 Calhoun Road, Bldg 2, Houston, TX 77204, USA
Sumaita Choudhury: Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
LeChauncy Woodard: Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, University of Houston College of Medicine, 4849 Calhoun Road, Bldg 2, Houston, TX 77204, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Although evidence suggests that successive climate disasters are on the rise, few studies have documented the disproportionate impacts on communities of color. Through the unique lens of successive disaster events (Hurricane Harvey and Winter Storm Uri) coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, we assessed disaster exposure in minority communities in Harris County, Texas. A mixed methods approach employing qualitative and quantitative designs was used to examine the relationships between successive disasters (and the role of climate change), population geography, race, and health disparities-related outcomes. This study identified four communities in the greater Houston area with predominantly non-Hispanic African American residents. We used data chronicling the local community and environment to build base maps and conducted spatial analyses using Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping. We complemented these data with focus groups to assess participants’ experiences in disaster planning and recovery, as well as community resilience. Thematic analysis was used to identify key patterns. Across all four communities, we observed significant Hurricane Harvey flooding and significantly greater exposure to 10 of the 11 COVID-19 risk factors examined, compared to the rest of the county. Spatial analyses reveal higher disease burden, greater social vulnerability, and significantly higher community-level risk factors for both pandemics and disaster events in the four communities, compared to all other communities in Harris County. Two themes emerged from thematic data analysis: (1) Prior disaster exposure prepared minority populations in Harris County to better handle subsequent disaster suggesting enhanced disaster resilience, and (2) social connectedness was key to disaster resiliency. Long-standing disparities make people of color at greater risk for social vulnerability. Addressing climate change offers the potential to alleviate these health disparities.

Keywords: health disparities; environment; climate change; COVID-19; disasters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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