Monday, June 25, 2007

Katrina Repercussions

Death rates in New Orleans rose nearly 50 percent as the city began its recovery from Hurricane Katrina, in part because of storm-related damage to its public health facilities, researchers said on Thursday, June 21, 2007.

"The post-Katrina mortality rate for the first six months of 2006 was approximately 91.37 deaths per 100,000 ... Compared to the pre-Katrina population mortality rate of 62.17 deaths per 100,000 population, this represents an average 47 percent increase from the baseline mortality," the study said.

"It is suggested that a destroyed or poorly recovered public health infrastructure, which normally would be able to identify health problems and protect the health of a population, has in fact contributed to excess mortality," the researchers concluded.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Candy - check this out - we heard an artist talk about this organization at the GYLBT youth awards earlier this month:

http://www.commongroundrelief.org/

later-
tuffy

Gardenia said...

I remember reading about the "Katrina Cough." I can understand the health problems - here we had leaking chemicals from a base, sewage flooding the downtown streets from the downtown located sewage plant, and mold, mold, mold, and more mold.

The damage/destroyed homes, buildings, etc. was scraped up and hauled in a constant 24 hour a day caravan to football sized fields where it was stacked up 60 feet high. There it sat allowing it to molder for more moisture and heat soaked days.

Then it was taken and mulched on the spot creating areas of brown for blocks as the mulch was processed. I kept thinking, I wonder how many unsuspecting people will buy mulch and not realize what is going in their yards.

Nurses were terrified over power shortages - life giving pumps rely on power and good generators. I think we are more prepared as a city now. However, empty boarded up homes are deserted. A few FEMA trailers are still around, purchased somehow from the government. I don't know where the homeless went.

Even tho we were basically fine, I can't tell you about the mental stress and do it justice to see such destruction community wide. I will always carry that with me.

Pictures, movies will never do justice to those hurricanes, never.

Accurate death tolls were never released.

Reminds me, we better get a family plan together...tis the season (but not to be jolly!).

Candy Minx said...

Tuffy P...you inspired a post thank you.

Gardenia, I have been in some hurricanes that weren't nearly as dangerous as the one you had...and it was overwhelming I can't imagine how the trauma would haunt you. Nevermind fear and loss of possesions, memorbilia and property would feel.Thanks for that recollection.

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