This document discusses mental health and how it relates to disasters and stress. It defines mental health as how we think, act, feel, handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. It also notes that mental health is the ability to handle emotions like anxiety and sadness, rather than an absence of these feelings. The document then lists physical manifestations of stress like digestive issues and shortness of breath. It identifies factors that can contribute to stress, such as individual characteristics, social support systems, and features of the disaster itself. Finally, it briefly discusses the psychological impact of Hurricane Katrina on four major cultural groups in the affected areas.

1. Week 4 Lecturecast Mental Health Issues Supplement to Week 4 Slides

2. What is mental health? How we think How we act How we feel How we handle stress Ho we relate to others How we make choices ---------------- Mental health is not the absence of anxiety, sadness or stress but the ability to handle these emotions

4. Mental Health and Disasters Stress is a physical and emotional response to a situation Can be caused by tension or worry about something that is dangerous, unknown, or disturbing Physical manifestations include: Digestive issues Increased heart rate Shortness of breath Headaches Hypertension Insomnia Short tempered Fatigue

5. Factors Contributing to Stress Characteristics of the individual involved Actual losses (and threat of loss) Previous experience with similar events Level of background stress in one’s life Physical or psychological closeness to event Effectiveness of one’s coping mechanisms Nature and extent of available social support

6. Factors Contributing to Stress Features of a disaster Familiarity with the event Avoidability of the event Suddenness of its onset Intensity of its impact Course and duration of the event Degree to which it can be controlled Community or Societal Factors Previous level of community resources Community’s level of preparedness Extent and nature of damage done Community’s experience with such an event Consequent social/political unrest Availability of resources to rebuild

7. Severity of Psychological Reaction After a Traumatic Event

8. Four major cultural groups were impacted by Hurricane Katrina: Native American 5,000-6,000 – ~10% of the entire pop for AL, LA, MS 6 fed tribes, several unrecognized MS Choctaw 4,500 LA Mexican 34,000 naturalized, 72,000 documented immigrants, and unknown number of documented Some returned to Mexico Return Migration for construction Vietnamese Part of the 72,000 documented immigrants Houston – assistance NOT through official channels African American