RESPONDING TO THE PHILIPPINES T YPHOON

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) is part of the Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Disasters and Poverty
Natural Disasters Disproportionally Affect the World’s Poor
Over 90 percent of deaths due
communication infrastructureOver 90 percent of deaths due toto natural disasters occur in poor
to facilitate an adequate disastercountries. Even in developed countries,
response. Health systems innatural disasters occur
poor citizens are most affected bypoor countries are often underin poor countries.
disasters. The disparity in disasterresourced even prior to a disaster,
outcomes between rich and poor
and are quickly stretched beyond
can be understood as a function ofcapacity in the face of increased
both pre-event vulnerability and post-event response.
injuries and illness.
Factors such as geography, personal resources, community■■ Political instability: Political instability in many
infrastructure and political stability all impact thepoor countries can hamper the ability to organize aoccurrence and consequences of natural disasters. Social
coordinated disaster response. Limited resources caninstability may also accompany poverty particularly when
also expose intra-community schisms—sometimes
there are large disparities in the distribution of wealth andalong racial, ethnic, or religious lines—that further
income.
complicates necessary community coordination.
■■ Geography: The poor are more likely to live in lessDisasters open these fault lines of a society composed
expensive and environmentally vulnerable areas such asof differences in economic privilege, race and religion.
flood plains, volcano bases, seismically active areas orImmigration out of disaster areas by those able to do
tornado alleys. Environmental exploitation, often madeso can be dramatic after a disaster. At times this further
for economic reasons, for example, deforested hillsides,
exacerbates the economic disparities as the wealthy areincreases vulnerability to landslides.
able to leave and the poor are not. The poor may also■■ Personal resources: Poverty is a well-known
use illegal and risky means of immigration in order todeterminant of poor physical health, and the poor may
find safety, nutrition, health and work for themselves
therefore be more vulnerable to adverse physical healthand their families.
outcomes in the wake of a disaster. Malnourished,■■ Vulnerable populations: In the face of scarce resources,
non-immunized and chronically ill persons may bewomen, children, the elderly and the mentally or
less able to withstand the physical stress of a disaster.
physically ill, may be particularly vulnerable to neglect
Furthermore, poor persons who have been focused onand exploitation. Children and women of poverty are
daily survival are less likely to have resources —extra
particularly vulnerable to exploitation as they try tofood, fuel or money—to use in the event of a disaster.
obtain food and safety in a disaster community with
When provided sufficient food, the body’s response ofnone.
moving from famine to adequate nutrition can bring its■■ Recovery from disaster: When other countries bringown physical changes and at times symptoms.
resources to disaster impoverished nations, they can■■ Infrastructure: The poor often live in sub-standard
also create expectations that cannot be sustained after
housing that is more vulnerable to collapse andthe responders leave. Working with the disaster regions
destruction during an earthquake or other disaster.
populations and recognizing the need for sustainable
Building codes are often not adopted or enforced.
recovery is a critical ingredient of recovery over thePoor communities often lack transportation andyears that are required after a major disaster.

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
Tel: 301-295-2470 | Fax: 301-319-6965
www.CSTSonline.org