Identifying Barriers and Resources Impacting Persons with Disabilities during the 10-11 December 2021 Tornado Outbreak

Objective:
In the overnight hours of December 10-11, 2021, a deadly late-season tornado outbreak produced catastrophic damage and 90 fatalities across portions of the central and southern United States. Severe weather events, such as the December 2021 tornado outbreak, are increasing in prevalence and severity in the Central and Southeast areas of the U.S. While severe tornado outbreaks can broadly affect an entire community, they do not impact all individuals equally. Historically, persons with disabilities (PWD) have been disproportionately affected by natural hazards, including tornadoes, as they have various functional needs that can limit their ability to seek protective action. This study examined various factors influencing protective actions among persons with disabilities exposed to the 10–11 December 2021 tornado outbreak in the U.S. Midwest and Southeastern regions.

Methods:
The current study focuses on the 64 cities of 28 counties of four states in the Midwest and Southeast of the United States, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Arkansas, where tornado outbreaks occurred on December 10 and 11, 2021. An online survey was conducted with 209 adults who were 18 years or older and identified as living with a disability and living in one of the counties affected by the tornado outbreak that occurred on December 10 - 11, 2021. Data were collected during 20-30 May 2022, approximately five months following the tornado outbreak. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the direct and indirect effects of hypothesized predictors impacting protective behavioral actions.

Results:
Of the 209 participants, the majority of participants identified difficulty with cognition (n = 164, 78.5%), followed by independent living (n = 82, 39.2%), difficulty with walking or stairs (n = 49, 23.4%), blind or difficulty seeing (n = 60, 28.7%), deaf or difficulty hearing (n = 18, 8.61%). SEM results found that PWD with access to more tornado warning sources increased their protective actions (β = 0.500, p <.001), and tornado risk perception further mediated the relationship between warning information sources and protective actions (β = .043, p <.05, [CI 95%: .015, .088]). In addition, results found that persons with disabilities who encountered barriers in their physical and social environment were found to have a decrease in protective action (β = -0.118, p <.05), and having more physical and social resources was found to contribute to the ability to take protective action (β = 0.162, p <.05).

Conclusion and Implications:
This study found that for PWD, having access to more tornado hazard-related information sources increased tornado protective action, and tornado risk perception further mediated the relationship between warning information sources and protective actions. In addition, this study found that PWD with more situational resources were better equipped to be protected, and situational barriers (e.g., lack of transportation, safe shelter, financial resources, social/family support) acted as a constraint and decreased the likelihood of a protective response among PWD. In terms of implications, these results highlight the need for additional policies and practices that provide physical and social resources for PWD to seek protection during tornado threats.