MOLD'S EFFECTS ON HEALTH: Katrina victims with allergies or asthma will be most affected by the staggering amounts of mold that will be appearing soon, said Raymond Slavin, M.D., director of the division of allergy and immunology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a nationally recognized allergy and asthma expert. "People with asthma will also be at greater risk; they'll have more trouble breathing due to the mold and be more likely to have an attack," Dr. Slavin said. "Even people without allergies will find themselves breathing with more difficulty."
DON'T REBUILD TOO SOON: Anu Dixit, Ph.D., assistant professor of community health at Saint Louis University School of Public Health, is concerned about the tremendous levels of mold caused by flooding in Hurricane Katrina's wake. "As soon as the water levels begin receding, we'll see mold," said Dr. Dixit, who specializes in allergenic and toxigenic molds. She studied mold contamination in Missouri after the Mississippi River flood of 1993 and found nearly one-third of all people surveyed who had allergies or asthma experienced exacerbated symptoms due to the mold. "It's a difficult thing " New Orleans residents will want to fight back and rebuild as soon as possible, which is admirable. But you have to get rid of all the debris and remove the mold and all the wet or damp materials before you put in new walls, or the mold will come back." Dr. Dixit's study also found that there were high levels of mold spores in the vicinity of contaminated homes.
WHAT ARE THEY FEELING?: Joanne Langan, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing at Saint Louis University and a nurse who lived though a Gulf Coast hurricane 20 years ago, says that victims of the disaster are experiencing stages of grief similar to feelings brought on by the death of a loved one. "First they felt shock and disbelief, then depression and sadness or survivor's guilt " 'How come I've been spared, and you've suffered such a loss?'" Langan said. "Right now they're in the anger mode. It's been a week now and some people are not seeing the relief they want. All they know is, 'I can't get back into my house and no one's doing anything to help me.'" As relief efforts gain momentum and they see rebuilding, they will begin to understand and accept what has happened, said Langan, who is co-author of a book on preparing nurses to handle the aftermath of a disaster.
ECONOMY MAY BE SPARED: Pat Welch, Ph.D., professor of economics at Saint Louis University, said Hurricane Katrina may not be as devastating to the economy as it has been on people's lives. "This has been a horrible tragedy, but I'm not sure it will have a terrible effect on the economy," said Welch. "We will have to rebuild New Orleans, which means jobs will be created and the economy will strengthen." Welch has served as a visiting economist at the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis. He is editor of the "Forum for Social Economics" and co-author of "Economics: Theory and Practice."
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: The loss of life and property as well as the uncertainty of the situation caused by Hurricane Katrina, "significantly tax people's ability to cope and increase the likelihood of psychological effects, including depression and post-traumatic stress," said Terri Weaver, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Saint Louis University. "The enduring hardships can magnify the psychological effects of this disaster." Dr. Weaver is a recognized expert on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the psychological and physical impact of traumatic events.
INFLUX OF MOSQUITOES: Yet another concern for victims of the flooding will be the inevitable influx of mosquitoes. "The one thing that we've learned from studying hurricanes in the Caribbean is that you can't predict anything," said Gerado Camilo, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at Saint Louis University. "There is still a lot of summer to go, and with all the stagnant water it will create a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and other similar bugs." Dr. Camilo is interested in the ecology of population and community dynamics in terms of their response to natural disasters, such as hurricanes.
Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of 11,500 students on campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Through teaching, research, health care and community service, Saint Louis University is the place where knowledge touches lives. Learn more about SLU at http://www.slu.edu.
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