Psychosocial and Health Consequences After Disaster: Human Adaptive Capacities and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

This project focuses on the psychological impact and health consequences of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in commercial fishers and their families currently living in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes in South Louisiana. This study extends an ongoing program of research on post-Katrina resilience and recovery in current and former residents of St. Bernard, a geographic region that was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. We have tested 189 current and former residents of the catchment area and 30 non-affected controls living in Baton Rouge, LA. Data collection is completed.