FAC T S H E E T F O R P R O V I D E R S

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) is part of the Uniformed Services University’s Department of Psychiatry

Psychosocial Concerns after Hurricane Harvey
Tips for Health Care Providers
Health care providers assume many roles in the midstof natural disasters: caregiver, leader, comforter, andinformation source. Hurricane Harvey has displaced
thousands, destroyed countless homes and property, andclaimed numerous lives. Although the hurricane’s
strength has dissipated, its aftermath will be felt forconsiderable time to come.
As health care providers mobilize to help, they should

be mindful of the losses experienced by the population
they will assist. Interviewing with sensitivity is essential,
and is the ﬁrst step in assessing speciﬁc needs. This fact
sheetprovidesinformationforhealthcareprovidersafter
hurricanes and pays special attention to some of the issues
for individuals providing support in the aftermath ofHarvey.

Services and basic needs, such as water, food, power, andsanitation, have been disrupted. Depending on the extent ofdamage and access to damaged areas, it may be some time
before these are restored. The potential for spread of disease
and infections underscores need for surveillance and theinstitution of public health measures. Providers play an
integral role in advocating for the restoration of these
services as public health necessities.
Those who have otherwise well-controlled medical
conditions may not have access to their regular
medications. Evacuation and relocation may disrupt
medication availability and may contribute to theexacerbations of ongoing mental health and other medical
conditions. In addition, persons who routinely use
alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs may experience additional
difﬁculties when these are not readily available.
Psychological ﬁrst aid, an evidenced-informed approachfor helping populations cope in the aftermath of a disaster,aims to reduce the emotional and physical responses in theimmediate aftermath of a disaster.

■

Promote connectedness (help to reunite families andfriends, establish a sense of normalcy for children by
reinforcing parent-child bond, reuniting children withplaymates, and re-establishing, if possible, school andother safe environments)■

Promote self-efﬁcacy (give practical suggestions andreferrals that move people to help themselves)■

Promote hope (direct people to services that areavailable, remind people (if you know) that moreassistance will be arriving).

Principles include:■

Promotion of safety (help people meet the basic needs
for shelter and food, provide a ‘recovery environment’toinclude limited exposure to news and other media
related to the disaster, encourage those who are
relocated to return only when their areas are deemedsafe)■

Promote calm (offer accurate information about thedisaster and the efforts underway to help the situation)

Many of those who have experienced Hurricane Harvey
ﬁrst-hand have lost loved ones, pets, jobs, and property.
After such losses, it is not uncommon to experience distressin the form of difﬁculty sleeping, disbelief, nightmares,feeling sad, and anxiety. In most individuals, these symptoms
remit over time and require no formal treatment. A small
subset will continue to have difﬁculties and may present withdepression, anxiety, increased arguments with signiﬁcantothers, unexplained medical symptoms, and increased use ofcigarettes and alcohol. Should health care providers identify
such problems, this may indicate a need for more formalized
assessment and intervention.
Providers must be aware of the impact of the disaster onthemselves and their professional colleagues. Times ofhigh demand and the desire to “do more” put providers
at risk for burn out, fatigue, and reduced effectiveness.
Providersare not immune, and should attend to their own
needs as well as those around them.

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