Disaster Preparedness: Medical Special Needs Assessment of the Lower Rio Grande Valley

Objectives: The University of Texas School of Public Health at Brownsville and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) conducted a two-part study to assess medical special need persons (MSNP) in three counties (of the top 60 poorest counties in the U.S.) located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas. In the event of a hurricane, MSNP may need assistance to safely evacuate. Methods: The study consisted of two surveys: 1) a door to door questionnaire of 3088 residents in each county utilizing a two-stage cluster sampling strategy; 2) a survey of care facilities including nursing homes, assisted living institutions, and state schools and hospitals to determine the number of persons under care requiring assistance. Results: Results indicate that between 349,000-400,000 MSNP within the three-county area will require evacuation assistance in the event of a major disaster. Furthermore, data demonstrates that evacuation is hindered by financial, transportation, and attitudinal barriers. Conclusions: In an area susceptible to major hurricanes, this information is crucial for planning evacuation procedures.