Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Texas: A comprehensive needs assessment

Purpose: In May 2006, the State of Texas collaborated with the Gallup Organization to survey Katrina evacuees in Texas. As one of the largest needs assessments ever conducted on a group of displaced U.S. citizens, the survey collected valuable data to assist in the planning and budgeting of Texas health and human services over the next few critical years.

Methods: Gallup completed telephone interviews with a random sample of 6,415 evacuee households selected from FEMA's emergency relief database. The survey included questions related to: housing, employment, mental and physical health, disability, insurance, and health and human service needs.

Results: The survey found that eight months after the storm an estimated 251,000 evacuees remained in Texas. Low income, uninsured families headed by African-American women comprised a disproportionate share of the evacuee population. As a group, respondents reported a sharp decline in physical and mental health status. Thirty-seven percent rated their physical health as poor or fair (compared to 20% pre-hurricane) and 40% reported their mental health as poor or fair (compared to 15% pre-hurricane). Twenty-four percent reported that someone in their household had a physical or mental disability that limited their daily functioning.

Conclusion: Significant challenges remain for the evacuees and the institutions supporting their recovery. Initially, evacuees appear to have prioritized basic necessities, such as shelter and emergency medical attention. While this strategy stabilized their living conditions in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the survey results will help Texas target the evacuees' longer-term economic and healthcare needs.