Measuring exposure in Hurricane Katrina: a meta-analysis and an integrative data analysis.

ABSTRACT: To date there is no consensus on the operationalization of exposure severity in the study of the impact of natural disasters. This is problematic because incomplete and inconsistent measurement of exposure limits the internal and external validity of disaster studies. The current paper examined the predictive validity of severity measures in two interrelated studies of Hurricane Katrina survivors. First, in a meta-analysis of eight studies that measured both exposure severity and posttraumatic stress, the effect size was estimated to be r = .266. The moderating effects of sample and study characteristics were examined and we found that minority status and number of stressors assessed were significant moderators. Second, in an integrative data analysis of five independent samples of Hurrica

SUBMITTER: Chan CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3979656 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature