Health and social impacts of a flood disaster

Responding to Needs and Implications for Practice

Bibliographic Data

ID3898720
AuthorsBob Carroll (University of Cumbria), Ruth Balogh (0000-0002-3872-1634, University of Cumbria), Hazel Morbey (0000-0002-8708-3771, University of Cumbria), Gonzalo Araoz (University of Cumbria)
Year2010
Volume34
Issue4
Pages1045-1063
Publication date2010-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueDisasters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0361-3666 • E-ISSN: 1467-7717
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-7717.2010.01182.x
PMID20618385
OpenAlexW2068368287
LanguageEN
Citations received26
References cited24

Carlisle in northwest England suffered its worse floods for more than 180 years in 2005. A study, reported here, was undertaken to assess the health and social impacts of these floods via in-depth, taped individual and focus-group interviews with people whose homes had been flooded and with agency workers who helped them. Respondents spoke of physical health ailments, psychological stress, water health-and-safety issues related to the floods, and disputes with insurance and construction companies, which they felt had caused and exacerbated psychological health problems. Support workers also suffered from psychological stress. Furthermore, it was found that people had low expectations of a flood and were not prepared. The findings are presented in five sections covering flood risk awareness, water contamination issues, physical health, mental health, and impact on frontline support workers. The discussion focuses on the implications of the findings for policy and practice vis-à-vis psychological health provision, contamination issues, training and support for frontline support workers, matters relating to restoration, and preparation for flooding

Agency (philosophy · Business · Environmental health · Flood myth · Flooding (psychology · Focus group · Geography · Mental health · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Psychiatry · Social support · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Disaster Management and Resilience · Disaster Response and Management · Flood Risk Assessment and Management · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Social Psychology