Adjusting to Uncertainty: Coping Strategies Among the Displaced After Hurricane Katrina

Spence, P.R.; Lachlan, K.A.; Burke, J.M.
Sociological Spectrum: Mid-South Sociological Association

September 25, 2007

This study examined the coping strategies of individuals displaced after Hurricane Katrina. Following the evacuation of New Orleans, surveys were administered to those individuals displaced by Katrina and relocated to shelters or in Disaster Centers in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Lansing, Michigan; different parts of Indiana and Kentucky; and federal aid distribution centers throughout Texas. Results indicated that talking, staying informed, and praying emerged as predictors of changes in psychological stress during relocation. Differences emerged in coping strategies based on gender, race, and income; however, age did not emerge as a factor. Recommendations are made to use these results for postcrisis response and coordination.

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