Vulnerabilities Associated with Post-disaster Declines in HIV-testing: Decomposing the Impact of Hurricane Sandy

Conclusion In this study we have identified the effects of storm and sociodemographic factors that most contributed to declines in HIV testing after Hurricane Sandy. Our findings suggest that areas with higher levels of building loss are likely to experience a sharper decline in testing. Similarly, areas with higher HIV prevalence rates are also more likely to experience significant declines in HIV testing. Percentage of household damage maintained a significant and positive relationship with the change in HIV testing. Pre-storm variables such as housing unit density and the unemployment rate in a CBSA were also significantly and positively associated with HIV testing. These associations and their directions are consistent with the literature mentioned previously and may be due to differences in physician and patient perceptions of risk based on race and income and on differences in the availability of and access to HIV testing services in more urban versus less urban CBSAs.9-11 Discussion This study also reveals an important distinction between household damage and building loss. Percentage of household damage – the total count of households with damage divided by the total number of households in a CBSA – was positively and significantly associated with change in HIV testing while percentage of buildings lost was negatively and significantly associated with change in HIV testing. This suggests that percentage of buildings lost (e.g., healthcare facility loss), but no...
Source: PLOS Currents Disasters - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research