Mental health framework: coronavirus pandemic in post-Katrina New Orleans

The united nations office of disaster risk reduction defines disaster risk as the “likelihood ofloss of life, injury or destruction and damage from a disaster in a given period, and a productof the complex interactions that generate conditions of exposure, vulnerability and hazard”.racial and ethnic minorities in the united states have been shown to have increasedvulnerability and risk to disasters due to links between racism, vulnerability, and economicpower, based on disadvantage related to different disaster stages: 1) reduced perception ofpersonal disaster risk; 2) lack of preparedness; 3) reduced access and response to warningsystems; 4) increased physical impacts due to substandard housing; 5) likelihood of poorerpsychological outcomes; 6) cultural insensitivity on the part of emergency workers; 7)marginalization, lower socio-economic status, and less familiarity with support resources leadingto protracted recovery; and 8) diminished standard of living, job loss, and exacerbated povertyduring reconstruction and community rebuilding. moreover, given that psychiatric morbidity ispredictable in populations exposed to disasters, mental health and psychosocial supportprograms should increasingly become a standard part of a humanitarian response. in the crisisand immediate recovery phase of disasters, the focus should be on making survivors feel safeand giving them assistance in decreasing their anxiety by addressing their basic needs andwelfare. so, it is critical that governmental institutions, business, and non-profit organizationsproactively find mechanisms to work collaboratively and share resources. special attention andextra resources must be directed towards vulnerable and marginalized populations. in thiseditorial we share lessons learned from experiencing disproportionate impact of health crisisand advocate for the notion that recovery efforts must address trauma at individual,interpersonal and community levels, and be based in a healing justice framework.