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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Stephanie I. Davis, MSPH¹, Nathaniel Weaver, BA², Benjamin A. Sklaver, MA³, Maureen Phelan, MS¹, and Alden K. Henderson, PhD¹. (1) Division of Health Studies, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop E31, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-498-0603, sgd8@cdc.gov, (2) Mayor's Office of Homeland Security, City of New Orleans, 1300 Perdido Street, Room 8E15, New Orleans, LA 70112, (3) National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Mailstop E97, Atlanta, GA 30333

Abstract: Reliable rapid post-hurricane population estimates are essential for the City of New Orleans in allocating resources for health, social, and other city services. At the request of the New Orleans Emergency Operations Center, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided technical assistance to develop a sampling and estimation method for the targeted restoration of disrupted services where they are most needed. A housing unit based population estimation survey was implemented to assess the numbers of returnees to Orleans Parish. Pilot testing was conducted over the first two days to validate sampling methods, to develop the questionnaire, and to train New Orleans staff. On the final two days, ten survey teams interviewed randomly selected residents in 164 housing units, divided evenly between Eastbank and Westbank neighborhoods. After giving verbal consent, a participant or proxy from each selected house was asked for the number of residents: (1) who were currently there; (2) who slept there overnight; and (3) who were expected there in one month. In addition, interviewers asked for the greatest number of daytime and overnight residents during the previous Monday through Thursday. A maximum of three attempts at contact were made per unit. The survey interviews were completed within 30 hours. This survey method offers a sustainable and flexible model to assess needs in many metropolitan service sectors. Periodic resampling will allow the future evaluation of service allocation in a rapidly changing environment defined by need, demography, and geography.

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