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Impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on Asthma, Hypertension, and Depression in a Sample of the Puerto Rico Population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2023

Marijulie Martínez-Lozano Open the ORCID record for Marijulie Martínez-Lozano [Opens in a new window] ,
Frank Fraticelli ,
Jessica Irizarry ,
Israel Almodóvar-Rivera ,
Martha Nunn  and
Kaumudi J. Joshipura
Marijulie Martínez-Lozano*
Affiliation:
Center for Clinical Research and Health Promotion, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico Department of Public Health, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Frank Fraticelli
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Jessica Irizarry
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Israel Almodóvar-Rivera
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Martha Nunn
Affiliation:
Nunn Biostatistical Solutions, Omaha, NE, USA
Kaumudi J. Joshipura
Affiliation:
Center for Clinical Research and Health Promotion, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico School of Public Health, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, India Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
*
Corresponding author: Marijulie Martínez-Lozano; Email: marijulie.martinez@upr.edu.
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Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on 3 major chronic diseases in Puerto Rico.

Methods:

San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal study participants were re-evaluated after Hurricanes Irma and Maria (May 2019–July 2020) for the Preparedness to Reduce Exposures and Diseases Post-hurricanes and Augment Resilience study. This study compared the prevalence and incidence of asthma, depression, and hypertension within the same 364 individuals over time.

Results:

Asthma and depression prevalence and incidence did not change significantly after the hurricanes. The prevalence of hypertension increased significantly after the hurricanes (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.9). The incidence of hypertension after the hurricanes (IR = 9.0, 95% CI: 6.5, 12.4) increased significantly compared to before the hurricanes (IR = 6.1, 95% CI: 4.5, 8.0) (age-adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] = 1.4, 95% CI: 4.5, 8.0) for similar time periods.

Conclusion:

Hurricanes Irma and Maria were associated with a significant increase in the prevalence and incidence of hypertension in this study population. Contrary to expectations, no significant increases were observed in depression and asthma prevalence after the hurricanes. Results from this study can inform better strategies to prevent and manage hypertension in the population affected by a hurricane.

Keywords

chronic diseasedisaster epidemiologyHurricane MariaPuerto Rico
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e508
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health

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