Citation

Kilmer RP, Gil-Rivas V. Am. J. Orthopsychiatry 2010; 80(1): 135-142.

Affiliation

University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, American Orthopsychiatric Association, Publisher Wiley Blackwell)

DOI

10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01016.x

PMID

20397998

PMCID

PMC2858329

Abstract

Disasters may negatively influence caregivers' ability to respond to the needs of their families. In this context, service organizations' response to families' needs may affect caregivers' symptoms and parenting. Interviews were conducted with caregivers affected by Hurricane Katrina approximately 1 year (T(1); N = 68) and 2 years posthurricane (T(2); N = 52). Caregivers reported high levels of service needs and unmet needs for themselves and their child(ren) and family at both time points. Regression analyses indicated that after accounting for hurricane exposure: (a) child unmet service needs significantly contributed to T(1) caregiver distress, (b) caregiver service needs and child unmet needs were associated with higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms, and (c) caregiver unmet needs related to greater strain at T(1). At T(2), after accounting for T(1) scores, service need variables did not contribute to distress or posttraumatic stress symptoms. Caregiver strain at T(1) and T(1) child service needs were associated with greater T(2) strain. These findings highlight the importance of extending the availability of services beyond the initial postdisaster recovery period to better meet the needs of caregivers and families.

Language: en