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Absolutely could not believe the coincidental timing of the following article hitting my inbox via the MedlinePlus emailing list the same week that the Disaster-Disability listserv gets underway.. The article's out of Florida State University (FSU) and is entitled Tropical depression: Hurricane linked to long-term mental distress by Jill Elish:
Florida State University sociologists have found that some South Floridians who survived 1992's Hurricane Andrew suffered mental health problems many years later, a finding that has led the researchers to predict even more dire consequences for those who lived through last year's devastating Hurricane Katrina.
The researchers, sociology doctoral student and lead author David Russell and professors John Taylor and Donald Lloyd, presented their findings at the 2006 annual meeting of the Southern Sociological Society held recently in New Orleans. Although the short-term mental health consequences of Hurricane Andrew have been documented, this study of adolescents is the first to show that it had long-term effects on mental health.
Got an invitation in motion already to see if those involved in the study will consider joining the Disaster-Disability group and further sharing what they have learned in their studies.. They are so on the right track as it reads very much like the couple of emails I sent to the White House early on after Hurricane Katrina..
And speaking of..
Dear Mr. President, I once again say most respectfully: The magnitude of Hurricane Katrina remains unfathomable.. The state of our country's overall mental health ten years from now due to the same is in a whole heap of "doo" if we do not continue to proactively locate and reach out to all survivors now..
Again most respectfully, not speaking out my backside, on a whim and a just becausey.. Am speaking from experience.. Am speaking from walking in these shoes the last fourteen years since Hurricane Andrew's storm path and mine crossed in the wee, wee hours of the morning, Monday, August 24, 1992..