Kelly Jessica T, Danzi BreAnne A
Department of Psychology, University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark Street, Vermillion, SD, USA.
Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol. 2025 Jan 22. doi: 10.1007/s10802-024-01279-6.
Youth with complex health needs (CHNs; e.g., requiring daily assistance or equipment for care) and their parents face heightened vulnerabilities during natural disasters, potentially leading to poorer mental health outcomes compared to those without CHNs. However, limited research has focused on this group's disaster-related experiences and their impact on mental health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the disaster experiences, perceptions, and mental health outcomes of youth with CHNs and their parents' post-hurricane and to evaluate the unique influence of CHN- and disaster-related factors on their psychological functioning. Parents (N = 142) of youth with CHNs (n = 48) and without CHNs (n = 94) who experienced a hurricane reported on their youth's and their own psychological functioning, disaster perceptions, experiences, and CHN-related information. Youth with CHNs exhibited greater perceived life threat compared to youth without CHNs. Families of youth with CHNs were more likely to evacuate and faced greater evacuation barriers. They also exhibited greater PTS, depressive, and anxiety symptom severity compared to those without CHNs. Financial healthcare concerns were not associated with youth with CHNs or their parents' mental health symptomatology. Hurricane-impeded access to healthcare necessities was associated with youth and parent PTS and depressive symptom severity and youth anxiety symptom severity. These findings underscore the vulnerabilities of youth with CHNs and their parents' post-hurricane, emphasizing the need for tailored mental health services and improved disaster planning resources to support this population effectively.
有复杂健康需求（CHNs；例如，需要日常护理协助或设备）的青少年及其父母在自然灾害期间面临更高的脆弱性，与没有复杂健康需求的青少年相比，他们可能会出现更差的心理健康结果。然而，针对这一群体与灾害相关的经历及其对心理健康结果的影响的研究有限。本研究旨在调查有复杂健康需求的青少年及其父母在飓风后的灾害经历、认知以及心理健康结果，并评估与复杂健康需求和灾害相关的因素对他们心理功能的独特影响。经历过飓风的有复杂健康需求（n = 48）和没有复杂健康需求（n = 94）的青少年的父母（N = 142）报告了他们孩子和自己的心理功能、对灾害的认知、经历以及与复杂健康需求相关的信息。与没有复杂健康需求的青少年相比，有复杂健康需求的青少年感知到的生命威胁更大。有复杂健康需求的青少年家庭更有可能撤离，并且面临更大的撤离障碍。与没有复杂健康需求的家庭相比，他们还表现出更严重的创伤后应激障碍（PTS）、抑郁和焦虑症状。对医疗保健的经济担忧与有复杂健康需求的青少年或其父母的心理健康症状无关。飓风导致获取医疗必需品受阻与青少年和父母的创伤后应激障碍及抑郁症状严重程度以及青少年焦虑症状严重程度相关。这些发现强调了有复杂健康需求的青少年及其父母在飓风后的脆弱性，强调需要提供量身定制的心理健康服务以及改进灾害规划资源，以有效支持这一人群。
