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Evacuations as a Result of Hurricane Sandy: Analysis of the 2014 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2017

Prathit A. Kulkarni ,
Hui Gu ,
Stella Tsai ,
Marian Passannante ,
Soyeon Kim ,
Pauline A. Thomas ,
Christina G. Tan  and
Amy L. Davidow
Prathit A. Kulkarni
Affiliation:
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Science Education and Professional Development, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Hui Gu
Affiliation:
Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Stella Tsai
Affiliation:
Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Marian Passannante
Affiliation:
Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
Soyeon Kim
Affiliation:
Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
Pauline A. Thomas
Affiliation:
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
Christina G. Tan
Affiliation:
Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Amy L. Davidow*
Affiliation:
Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Amy L. Davidow, 185 South Orange Ave, Medical Science Building F 596-A, Newark, NJ 07103 (e-mail: davidoal@sph.rutgers.edu).
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Abstract

Objective

We characterized evacuations related to Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey on October 29, 2012.

Methods

We analyzed data from the 2014 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. The proportion of respondents reporting evacuation was used to estimate the number of New Jersey adults who evacuated. We determined evacuation rates in heavily impacted and less-impacted municipalities, as well as evacuation rates for municipalities under and not under mandatory evacuation orders. We tested associations between demographic and health factors, such as certain chronic health conditions, and evacuation.

Results

Among respondents, 12.7% (95% CI: 11.8%-13.6%) reported evacuating, corresponding to approximately 880,000 adults. In heavily impacted municipalities, 17.0% (95% CI: 15.2%-18.7%) evacuated, compared with 10.1% (95% CI: 9.0%-11.2%) in less-impacted municipalities. In municipalities under mandatory evacuation orders, 42.5% (95% CI: 35.1%-49.8%) evacuated, compared with 11.8% (95% CI: 10.9%-12.9%) in municipalities not under mandatory orders. Female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.14-1.64), unmarried status (OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.02-1.46), shorter length of residence (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.03-1.60), and living in a heavily impacted municipality (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.54-2.20) were significantly associated with evacuation. History of stroke (OR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.02-2.53) was the only chronic condition associated with evacuation.

Conclusions

Approximately 880,000 New Jersey adults evacuated because of Hurricane Sandy. Those in heavily impacted municipalities and municipalities under mandatory evacuation orders had higher evacuation rates; however, still fewer than half evacuated. These findings can be used for future disaster planning. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:720–728).

Keywords

HurricaneHurricane SandyevacuationBehavioral Risk Factor Surveillance SystemNew Jersey
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 11 , Issue 6 , December 2017 , pp. 720 - 728
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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