Impact of the Shared Catastrophe Experience on the Practitioner

Purpose: Results of an internet based survey of the needs and consequences of exposure to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on second responders (resident therapists who remain in a community following a disaster) are described. Most of the literature on provider impact describes the experience of clinicians not directly impacted by the disaster, i.e., those who were located outside of the physically damaged areas, or who worked with first responder teams. Very little research has been done on the impact of disaster on second responders who share a common traumatic experience with their clients, and virtually nothing has been published on the long term impact of this experience on the practitioner.

Methods: Two hundred and fifty second responders (social workers and psychologists) practicing in the southern Louisiana were received an email invitation to participate in an internet-based needs survey of their hurricane experience and how it impacted them personally and professionally. All personally identifying information was deleted, and the study was reviewed and approved by the Children's Hospital Institutional Review Committee. The survey consisted of 40 questions, plus 4 additional questions specifically for therapists who had moved to New Orleans after the hurricanes. No attempt was made to sample therapists who had left the region. The survey sampled demographics, pre- and post-storm employment (including impact on income and role), displacement characteristics, suggestions regarding what was, or could have been helpful in support of the individual therapist, and how they perceived their needs and adjustment 2 ½ years after the storms. Responses were obtained using a mixture of multiple choice and Likert-scaled items and free text boxes. Responses to the needs survey are considered qualitatively and reported in summary form.

Results: The results of the short term impact on second responders are reported here. 69 individuals completed the survey, a 28% response rate. Thirty invitations were returned due to invalid email address (12%), all of which were from the New Orleans area. One third of the responding sample was composed of social workers, and most spent the majority of their time prior to the storm in private practice. The majority of the respondents describe personal and professional losses consistent with those of the greater community, with many reporting loss or damage to their homes and/or practice settings. Many reported a significant loss of income in the year after the storm, and only a few reported recapturing their pre-storm income 30 months after the storm. Virtually all of the respondents reported therapeutic fatigue in the year after the storm, due to a combination of increased demand, reduced resources, and concurrently personal needs. Many of the social workers specifically singled out $500 grants obtained from NASW as being particularly helpful.

Conclusions and Implications: The needs of the second responder community – who remain in place following the departure of disaster teams – are profound. The challenges of providing professional services while simultaneously rebuilding their personal and professional lives is little understood, and needs to be considered in terms of both short term and long term impact.