Rapid assessment of the needs and health status of older adults after Hurricane—Charley Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee Counties, Florida, August 27-31, 2004

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Sept 17, 2004 by B. Little, J. Gill, J. Schulte, S. Young, J Horton, L Harris, D Batts-Osborne, C. Sanchez, J. Malilay, T. Bayleyegn

TABLE. Percentage of households with at least one person aged [greater
than or equal to] 60 years reporting changes in status after Hurricane
Charley, by selected characteristics--Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee
counties, Florida, August 27-31, 2004

                                             Charlotte County

                                             % of
                                           households
Characteristic                             (n = 198)    (95% Cl *)

Damage to home
  Minimal or no damage                         7           (3-12)
  Damaged, habitable                           82         (74-89)
  Damaged, uninhabitable                       11          (6-17)

Household structure type
  Mobile home                                  3              -
  Single-family house                          94         (92-96)
  2-5 Family unit                              3            (1-5)

Household utilities
  No running water                             12          (7-18)
  No electricity                               19         (14-25)
  No functioning indoor toilet                 11          (6-16)
  No working telephone                         18         (11-25)
  No regular garbage pickup                    24         (18-30)
  No access to transportation                  3            (0-7)
  No radio                                     12          (6-18)

Food and water
  Using well water                             0            (0-1)
  Using public water                           10          (7-13)
  Using bottled water                          89         (86-93)
  Without money for immediate needs            4            (0-8)
  Without access to a 3-day food supply        3            (0-6)

Health care and social support
  No access to prescription medications        6           (0-12)
  Health-care services interrupted
    by the hurricane                           17          (8-26)
  Social support networks interrupted
    by the hurricane                           32         (22-42)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting a preexisting, physician-
    diagnosed medical condition                94         (89-98)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    exacerbated a preexisting,
    physician-diagnosed medical
    condition                                  32         (22-42)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    prevented normal care for a
    preexisting, physician-diagnosed
    medical condition                          28         (17-39)

                                              Charlotte County

                                              No. of
                                           households
                                           projected
Characteristic                             ([dagger])         (95% Cl)

Damage to home
  Minimal or no damage                          2,742       (993-4,490)
  Damaged, habitable                           31,231   (28,527-33,935)
  Damaged, uninhabitable                        4,328     (2,147-6,508)

Household structure type
  Mobile home                                   1,061          -
  Single-family house                          36,116   (35,400-36,832)
  2-5 Family unit                               1,124       (408-1,840)

Household utilities
  No running water                              4,772     (2,748-6,795)
  No electricity                                7,363     (5,217-9,508)
  No functioning indoor toilet                  4,194     (2,238-6,149)
  No working telephone                          6,928     (4,135-9,721)
  No regular garbage pickup                     9,316    (6,981-11,651)
  No access to transportation                   1,300         (0-2,746)
  No radio                                      4,646     (2,368-6,925)

Food and water
  Using well water                                191           (0-429)
  Using public water                             3817     (2,579-5,055)
  Using bottled water                          34,253   (33,025-35,481)
  Without money for immediate needs             1,433         (0-2,952)
  Without access to a 3-day food supply         1,008         (0-2,372)

Health care and social support
  No access to prescription medications         2,265        (76-4,454)
  Health-care services interrupted
    by the hurricane                            6,359     (2,886-9,833)
  Social support networks interrupted
    by the hurricane                           12,313    (8,431-16,195)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting a preexisting, physician-
    diagnosed medical condition                35,849   (34,208-37,489)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    exacerbated a preexisting,
    physician-diagnosed medical
    condition                                  12,380    (8,559-16,201)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    prevented normal care for a
    preexisting, physician-diagnosed
    medical condition                          10,609    (6,421-14,797)

                                              DeSotto County

                                             % of
                                           households
Characteristic                             (n = 192)    (95% Cl)

Damage to home
  Minimal or no damage                         4          (0-9)
  Damaged, habitable                           77       (68-86)
  Damaged, uninhabitable                       19       (10-27)

Household structure type
  Mobile home                                  48       (39-58)
  Single-family house                          49       (38-59)
  2-5 Family unit                              3          (0-7)

Household utilities
  No running water                             18       (10-25)
  No electricity                               18       (11-24)
  No functioning indoor toilet                 16        (7-24)
  No working telephone                         14        (7-20)
  No regular garbage pickup                    55       (47-64)
  No access to transportation                  2          (0-3)
  No radio                                     9         (4-15)

Food and water
  Using well water                             17       (10-24)
  Using public water                           2          (0-5)
  Using bottled water                          81       (73-89)
  Without money for immediate needs            7         (1-12)
  Without access to a 3-day food supply        2          (0-3)

Health care and social support
  No access to prescription medications        4          (0-9)
  Health-care services interrupted
    by the hurricane                           12        (5-18)
  Social support networks interrupted
    by the hurricane                           18       (12-25)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting a preexisting, physician-
    diagnosed medical condition                87       (81-94)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    exacerbated a preexisting,
    physician-diagnosed medical
    condition                                  24       (15-32)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    prevented normal care for a
    preexisting, physician-diagnosed
    medical condition                          21       (12-31)

                                               DeSotto County

                                              No. of
                                           households
Characteristic                             projected        (95% Cl)

Damage to home
  Minimal or no damage                            211         (0-428)
  Damaged, habitable                             3787    (3,346-4229)
  Damaged, uninhabitable                          911     (515-1,306)

Household structure type
  Mobile home                                   2,375   (1,903-2,847)
  Single-family house                           2,381   (1,890-2,872)
  2-5 Family unit                                 153         (0-322)

Household utilities
  No running water                                870     (507-1,233)
  No electricity                                  866     (554-1,177)
  No functioning indoor toilet                    781     (367-1,194)
  No working telephone                            667       (354-981)
  No regular garbage pickup                     2,724   (2,327-3,121)
  No access to transportation                      84         (0-170)
  No radio                                        447       (177-716)

Food and water
  Using well water                                826     (470-1,182)
  Using public water                              107         (0-252)
  Using bottled water                           3,976   (3,591-4,362)
  Without money for immediate needs               336        (66-606)
  Without access to a 3-day food supply            91        (12-170)

Health care and social support
  No access to prescription medications           204         (0-448)
  Health-care services interrupted
    by the hurricane                              566       (266-867)
  Social support networks interrupted
    by the hurricane                              901     (591-1,210)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting a preexisting, physician-
    diagnosed medical condition                 4,292   (3,970-4,615)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    exacerbated a preexisting,
    physician-diagnosed medical
    condition                                   1,162     (733-1,592)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    prevented normal care for a
    preexisting, physician-diagnosed
    medical condition                           1,047     (596-1,499)

                                              Hardee County

                                             % of
                                           households
Characteristic                             (n = 205)    (95% Cl)

Damage to home
  Minimal or no damage                         8         (3-13)
  Damaged, habitable                           79       (72-87)
  Damaged, uninhabitable                       12        (6-18)

Household structure type
  Mobile home                                  45       (37-54)
  Single-family house                          53       (45-62)
  2-5 Family unit                              1          (0-2)

Household utilities
  No running water                             6         (3-10)
  No electricity                               6         (2-10)
  No functioning indoor toilet                 10        (5-15)
  No working telephone                         7         (3-11)
  No regular garbage pickup                    6          (2-9)
  No access to transportation                  11        (5-17)
  No radio                                     12        (6-19)

Food and water
  Using well water                             20       (13-27)
  Using public water                           14        (3-24)
  Using bottled water                          66       (55-76)
  Without money for immediate needs            10        (4-16)
  Without access to a 3-day food supply        3          (1-6)

Health care and social support
  No access to prescription medications        9         (3-15)
  Health-care services interrupted
    by the hurricane                           12        (6-17)
  Social support networks interrupted
    by the hurricane                           19       (12-27)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting a preexisting, physician-
    diagnosed medical condition                88       (82-94)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    exacerbated a preexisting,
    physician-diagnosed medical
    condition                                  25       (17-32)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    prevented normal care for a
    preexisting, physician-diagnosed
    medical condition                          18        (8-27)

                                               Hardee County

                                              No. of
                                           households
Characteristic                             projected        (95% Cl)

Damage to home
  Minimal or no damage                            260       (105-415)
  Damaged, habitable                            2,490   (2,247-2,733)
  Damaged, uninhabitable                          384       (192-575)

Household structure type
  Mobile home                                   1,425   (1,152-1,697)
  Single-family house                           1,668   (1,398-1,937)
  2-5 Family unit                                  42         (11-72)

Household utilities
  No running water                                200        (81-318)
  No electricity                                  191        (75-307)
  No functioning indoor toilet                    307       (149-466)
  No working telephone                            207        (82-332)
  No regular garbage pickup                       177        (66-287)
  No access to transportation                     340       (153-526)
  No radio                                        389       (188-591)

Food and water
  Using well water                                630       (399-861)
  Using public water                              423        (95-752)
  Using bottled water                           2,054   (1,728-2,381)
  Without money for immediate needs               317       (134-500)
  Without access to a 3-day food supply           106        (17-196)

Health care and social support
  No access to prescription medications           280       (105-455)
  Health-care services interrupted
    by the hurricane                              361       (184-537)
  Social support networks interrupted
    by the hurricane                              610       (377-844)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting a preexisting, physician-
    diagnosed medical condition                 2,756   (2,575-2,938)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    exacerbated a preexisting,
    physician-diagnosed medical
    condition                                     773     (533-1,014)
  With at least one older adult
    reporting that the hurricane
    prevented normal care for a
    preexisting, physician-diagnosed
    medical condition                             550       (264-837)

* Confidence interval.

([dagger]) Projected number of affected households with a resident aged
[greater than or equal to] 60 years, based on 2000 U.S. Census
estimates for Charlotte (38,301), DeSoto (4,909), and Hardee counties
(3,134).