Doctoral Dissertation Research: Federal Disaster Relief and the Stafford Act: Analyzing Recovery Outcomes in Disaster Declared and Denied Areas of the U.S.

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This doctoral dissertation research project examines disaster recovery outcomes with respect to individual and community physiological and psychosocial well-being in federal disaster declared and denied counties of the U.S. Federal disaster declarations are authorized by the president under the provisions of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (known as the 'the Stafford Act'). This act created a mechanism for the distribution of various forms of individual and household assistance after disasters. Evidence of recurring problems associated with disparities in the recovery from disasters has led to a call for Stafford Act policy reformulation. This research project will provide clarity regarding questions pertaining to sufficient and equitable health-related recovery outcomes in communities that have differential access to the array of federal resources that are available under the provisions of a presidential disaster declaration. The theoretical context of the investigation utilizes Hobfoll's "conservation of resources" model as a framework for understanding the relationship between physiological and psychosocial well-being and the capacity to retain, protect, and rebuild individual and community resources in presidential disaster declared and denied areas. The project utilizes encrypted empirical data, obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to support a multilevel longitudinal retrospective cohort study of individual and community health-related well-being in disaster declared and denied counties in the state of Illinois. A mixed methods approach, utilizing quantitative archival analyses and qualitative open-ended interviews, will be employed to address the following fundamental question: Is there a significant difference in post-event disaster recovery between disaster declared or denied places that experienced similar types of natural disasters, as measured by changes in indicators of individual and community biopsychosocial well-being? The analysis of the health geography of disaster affected regions of Illinois will provide an increased understanding of the consequences of resource loss in times of disaster and the comparative coping mechanisms that are utilized to support community recovery. Analytical results will be disseminated in a timely manner through research articles in peer-reviewed journals. A summary policy report will be produced to communicate key findings in a manner useful for public policy formulation by government agencies, public health departments, and will be understandable to non-scientist audiences. Visual presentations will be produced and made available at conferences and policy meetings. Through these channels, the project will share data with public stakeholders and extend societal impacts beyond the research community. The research will assist in focusing attention on Stafford Act policy reformulation that is attentive to the risks and potential inequities that exist in the implementation of this critical disaster legislation. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Award, this project will support a promising graduate student in establishing an independent research career.