Hostname: page-component-669899f699-swprf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-27T04:04:49.801Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Capturing Disruptions to Food Availability After Disasters: Assessing the Food Environment Following Hurricanes Florence and María

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2021

Lauren A. Clay Open the ORCID record for Lauren A. Clay [Opens in a new window] ,
Rachel Slotter ,
Britta Heath ,
Veronica Lange (Leach)  and
Uriyoán Colón-Ramos
Lauren A. Clay*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Administration and Public Health, D’Youville College, Buffalo, NY, USA School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
Rachel Slotter
Affiliation:
Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
Britta Heath
Affiliation:
Department of Health Administration and Public Health, D’Youville College, Buffalo, NY, USA
Veronica Lange (Leach)
Affiliation:
Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
Uriyoán Colón-Ramos
Affiliation:
Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA Department of Exercise & Nutrition Science, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
*
Corresponding Author: Lauren Clay, Email: clayl@dyc.edu.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of this study was to describe the results of food environment assessments completed after Hurricane Florence in North Carolina (2018) and Hurricane María in Puerto Rico (2017), and provide recommendations for assessing disaster food environments.

Methods:

Adapted structured observation protocols were used to conduct rapid assessments of the availability, price, and quality of specific foods in retail markets.

Results:

In both settings, unhealthful food items (soda, chips, fruit-flavored drinks) and milk were widely available and at lower prices than domestic averages. The adapted instrument in Puerto Rico allowed for documentation of greater availability of canned items compared with fresh or frozen foods. In both settings, researchers noted the inability of the instrument to document items that are important to assess postdisaster: ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat foods; food preparation facilities and supplies; hygiene supplies; and empty shelf-space.

Conclusions:

The instruments, despite their limitations, were able to capture food availability issues in postdisaster environments. Future instrument adaptation is necessary to capture availability of all major food groups, healthful and unhealthful options, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, and ready-to-heat foods versus other formats (fresh, frozen), and cooking and hygiene supplies.

Keywords

food availabilityhurricanefood environmentdisaster responsefood security
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e17
Copyright
© Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Boussard, J, Trouvé, A, Choplin, G, et al. World Food Summit Plan of Action, World Food Summit, 13-17 Novembre, Roma. Rome, Italy; 2009.Google Scholar
Coleman, L. Frequency of man-made disasters in the 20th century. J Contingencies Cris Manag. 2006;14(1):3‐11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bergstrand, K, Mayer, B, Brumback, B, et al. Assessing the relationship between social vulnerability and community resilience to hazards. Soc Indic Res. 2015;122(2):391‐409.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keim, ME. Building human resilience: the role of public health preparedness and response as an adaptation to climate change. Am J Prev Med. 2008;35(5):508‐516.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clay, L. Field report: Issues in the post-disaster food environment during the immediate response to Hurricane Florence. Disaster Prev Manag An Int J. 2019;29(3):379‐389. doi: 10.1108/DPM-12-2018-0381 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seligman, HK, Laraia, BA, Kushel, MB. Food insecurity is associated with chronic disease among low-income NHANES participants. J Nutr. 2010;140(2):304‐310. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.112573 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webber, CB, Sobal, J, Dollahite, JS. Physical disabilities and food access among limited resource households. Disabil Stud Q. 2007;27(3):127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuff, JE, Casey, PH, Szeto, KL, et al. Household food insecurity is associated with adult health status. J Nutr. 2004;134(9):2330‐2335. doi: 134/9/2330CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ryu, J-H, Bartfeld, JS. Household food insecurity during childhood and subsequent health status: the early childhood longitudinal study—kindergarten cohort. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(11):e50‐e55. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300971 Google ScholarPubMed
Keith-Jennings, B, Llobrera, J, Dean, S. Links of the supplemental nutrition assistance program with food insecurity, poverty, and health: evidence and potential. Am J Public Health. 2019;109(12):1636‐1640. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2019.305325 Google ScholarPubMed
Lurie, N, Manolio, T, Patterson, AP, et al. Research as a part of public health emergency response. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(13):1251. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsb1209510 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American Red Cross. Annual Report 2014. http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m44340081_2014AnnualReport.pdf.Google Scholar
Food Research Action Center. An Advocate’s Guide to the Disaster Food Stamp Program. Washington, DC: Food Research and Action Center; 2006. http://frac.org/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/dfspguide06.pdf.Google Scholar
Seal, A, Thurstans, S. Derivation of nutrient requirements for disaster-affected populations: Sphere Project 2011. Food Nutr Bull. 2013;34(1):45‐51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goodhart, RS, Jolliffe, N. Principles of emergency feeding for a large metropolitan area in catastrophe. Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1952;42(4):373‐378. doi: 10.2105/ajph.42.4.373 Google ScholarPubMed
Young, H, Harvey, P. The sphere project: the humanitarian charter and minimum standards in disaster response: introduction. Disasters. 2004;28(2):99. doi: 10.1111/j.0361-3666.2004.00245.x Google Scholar
Abernathy, T. Responsibilities of the USDA-Food and Nutrition Service in nutrition assistance response to natural disasters. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2015;61(Suppl):S14.Google ScholarPubMed
USDA Communications Office. USDA offers food assistance to those affected by Hurricane Sandy. https://www.fns.usda.gov/pressrelease/2012/034012. Accessed May 11, 2021.Google Scholar
Stallings, RA. Methodological issues. In: Rodriguez, H, Quarantelli, EL, Dynes, RR, et al. (eds.). Handbook of Disaster Research. NY: Springer; 2007:55‐82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Weather Service. Historical Hurricane Florence, September 12-15, 2018. https://www.weather.gov/mhx/Florence2018. Accessed May 11, 2021.Google Scholar
Weatherbee, TG. Critical incident case study. In: Mills, A, Durepos, G, Wiebe, E, et al. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2010:247‐248.Google Scholar
Weick, KE. The collapse of sensemaking in organizations: the Mann Gulch disaster. Adm Sci Q. 1993;38:628‐652.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glanz, K, Sallis, J, Saelens, B, et al. Nutrition environment measures survey in stores (NEMS-S): development and evaluation. Am J Prev Med. 2007;32(4):282‐289.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gobierno de Puerto Rico. Agencia Estatal para el Manejo de Emergencias y Administracion de Desastres/PREMA. Published 2017. http://www2.pr.gov/agencias/aemead/Pages/Home.aspx.Google Scholar
Pan American Health Organization. Health in the Americas. Published 2012. https://www.paho.org/salud-en-las-americas-2012/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7:health-in-the-americas&Itemid=113&lang=en. Accessed May 11, 2021.Google Scholar
Colón-Ramos, U, Rodríguez-Ayuso, I, Gebrekristos, HT, et al. Transnational mortality comparisons between archipelago and mainland Puerto Ricans. J Immigr Minor Health. 2017;19(5):1009‐1017.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Echevarria, E. I shot aerial photos of Puerto Rico in ruins after Hurricane Maria. Published 2017. https://petapixel.com/2017/10/14/shot-aerial-photos-puerto-rico-ruins-hurricane-maria/.Google Scholar
Gobierno de Puerto Rico. Status PR. Published 2017. http://status.pr.10.Google Scholar
Federal Communications Commission. Communications status report for areas impacts by Hurricane Maria. Published 2017. https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-346861A1.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2021.Google Scholar
US Census Bureau. Fact finder: percent of related children under 18 years below poverty level in the past 12 months. Published 2016. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=poverty&tid=ACSST1Y2019.S1702&hidePreview=false. Accessed May 11, 2021.Google Scholar
Yin, RK. Case Study Research: Design and Methods. 5th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc; 2013.Google Scholar
Colón-Ramos, U, Roess, AA, Robien, K, et al. Foods distributed during federal disaster relief response in Puerto Rico after Hurricane María did not fully meet federal nutrition recommendations. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2019;119(11):1903‐1915.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United States Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th ed. Washington, DC: US HHS & USDA; 2015.Google Scholar
Colón-Ramos, U, Pérez-Cardona, CM, Monge-Rojas, R. Socio-demographic, behavioral, and health correlates of nutrition transition dietary indicators in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Rev Panam Salud Pública. 2013;34:330‐335.Google ScholarPubMed
Sutter, D, Smith, DJ. Coordination in disaster: nonprice learning and the allocation of resources after natural disasters. Rev Austrian Econ. 2017;30(4):469‐492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dewey, C. Why FEMA sent “junk food“ to Puerto Rican hurricane survivors. Washington Post. Published 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/24/why-fema-sent-junk-food-to-puerto-rican-hurricane-survivors/?utm_term=.1810753a1993. Accessed May 11, 2021.Google Scholar
Lindsay, BR. Federal emergency management: a brief introduction. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress; 2012.Google Scholar
FEMA. National Disaster Recovery Framework. Kd 2011–28970. FEMA. 2011. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/recoveryframework/ndrf.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2021.Google Scholar
Gustafson, AA, Sharkey, J, Samuel-Hodge, CD, et al. Perceived and objective measures of the food store environment and the association with weight and diet among low-income women in North Carolina. Public Health Nutr. 2011;14(6):1032‐1038.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed