Self-Reported Mental Health Status and Stress After a Natural Disaster in Colorado as Measured by Community Health Assessments

In September of 2013, Northern Colorado experienced wide-spread catastrophic flooding, with multiple river drainages greatly exceeding flood stages, killing eight people, displacing more than ten thousand residents across the affected counties, destroying or damaging thousands of homes and businesses and cutting off entire communities through the loss of infrastructure. The disaster coincided with a planned, comprehensive triennial community health survey effort in Larimer and Weld Counties, two of the places most impacted by this flood disaster. Survey administration was delayed by one month so that displaced residents could be reached and for the inclusion of eight survey items to measure flood exposure and stress. We used a reliable, 6-item scale to measure perceived flood exposure and included an additional ranking question to inquire about perceived stress caused by the flood exposure. Space for written descriptions designed to capture qualitative data about the flood impact was also included. More than 4,500 surveys were completed within the two Colorado counties. Preliminary results show a significant relationship between higher levels of self reported levels of stress, flood related loss and disruption and the number of days in the past 30 days with poor mental health status. This presentation will explain how mental health and stress levels, measured through a population-based health survey, were influenced by self-reported exposure to a natural disaster. In creating and looking at these flood exposure and stress variables we recognize the potential to add to the sparse knowledge base on this topic area.