Abstract PO-182: Disaster severity experience and verbal abuse among gynecological cancer patients in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María
Authors: Estremera-Rodriguez Lianeris Mariel , da Luz-Sant'Ana Istoni , Martinez-Ocasio Liz Marie , Ortiz-Martinez Ana Patricia 
Published: January 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate stressors experienced as a result of hurricanes Irma and Maria among a sample of gynecologic (GYN) cancer patients in Puerto Rico (PR) and evaluate if the severity suffered was associated with verbal violence (VV) events during a year after the event. Methods: Secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study that included 114 women aged ≥ 21 years, diagnosed with GYN cancer, who received oncology services in PR and reported to have a partner during the 12 months post-hurricanes. Participants completed an interview and the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 (CTS 2). Bayesian Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed to create the hurricane severity experience variable (HSE). The association between HSE and VV was evaluated through a logistic regression model. Results: In our study 26.32% of women reported VV within 12 months of the hurricanes, none of them had experienced VV before the event. Regarding hurricane-related stressors, 42.98% suffered house flooding, while 29.82% (phone service) and 31.25% (cellphone service) lost communication. Also, 21.93% lost water service for over 30 days and 21.05% lost power service for over 107.5 days (both over the median). In addition, 22.32% reported death of a close friend and 15.18% death of a family member. Stressors that contributed to form the HSE variable were health complications post-hurricane, loss of power, loss of water, death of a friend or family member, displacement, car flooding, physical injuries or illness after hurricanes, loss of debris and loss of garbage disposal service. No association was found between HSE and VV (RR=1.00, 95% CI=0.94, 1.06), nor each stressor evaluated separately as an independent variable. Adjusted analysis showed that for every unit increase in age, the probability of suffering VV decreased by 2% (RR=0.98, 0.97, 0.99). Conclusions: Our study evidences a high prevalence of VV and hurricane related stressors in this population of GYN cancer patients. Even though we did not evidence an association between HSE and VV in the study sample, cancer patients are vulnerable after disasters and recognizing the intersection they may experience with IPV, should be considered in disaster management and response plans, as well as within cancer control plans. Younger age can be a predictor of IPV. Thus, along with routine screening, physicians can enhance early identification of IPV victims in younger individuals and cancer patients.

Citation Format: Lianeris Mariel Estremera-Rodriguez, Istoni da Luz-Sant'Ana, Liz Marie Martinez-Ocasio, Ana Patricia Ortiz-Martinez. Disaster severity experience and verbal abuse among gynecological cancer patients in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-182.