David Abramson
David Abramson
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Clinical Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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Professional overview
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Dr. David Abramson is a Clinical Professor at NYU’s School of Global Public Health and the director of the research program on Population Impact, Recovery and Resilience (PiR2). His research employs a social ecological framework to examine the health consequences of disasters, individual and community resilience, and long-term recovery from acute collective stressors. His work has focused on population health consequences, interactions of complex systems, and risk communication strategies associated with hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, the Joplin tornado, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, H1N1, and Zika, among other natural, technological, and man-made disasters. Before joining NYU’s faculty, Dr. Abramson was the Deputy Director at Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Earth Institute.
In 2005 Dr. Abramson launched the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of over 1,000 randomly sampled Katrina survivors in Louisiana and Mississippi, which is presently a core research project in the NIH-funded Katrina@10 Program (P01HD082032, NICHD). After Superstorm Sandy he partnered with colleagues at Rutgers University, Columbia University, and the University of Colorado to conduct the Sandy Child and Family Health study, an observational cohort study modeled on the Katrina study. More recently, he was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the risk salience of an evolving threat, the Zika virus, among the US population in general and among women of child-bearing age. In addition, Dr. Abramson serves on two National Academies of Medicine panels, the Standing Committee on Medical and Public Health Research During Large-Scale Emergency Events, and the Committee on Evidence-Based Practices for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Prior to entering the field of public health, Dr. Abramson spent a decade as a national magazine journalist, having worked at or written for such publications as Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Outside magazines, and was a nationally-certified paramedic. He has a PhD in sociomedical sciences, with a sub-specialization in political science, and an MPH, both from Columbia University.
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Education
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BA, English (High Honors), Queens College, New York, NYMPH, Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NYPhD, Sociomedical Sciences/Political Science, Columbia University, New York, NY
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Honors and awards
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Columbia University Alumni Association Scholarship (2003)Eugene Litwak Prize for best doctoral dissertation proposal, Mailman School of Public Health (2002)Columbia University School of Public Health Alumni Association Scholarship Award (1982)Nyack Hospital Paramedic Program Valedictorian (1989)
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Areas of research and study
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Community HealthDisaster HealthDisaster Impact and RecoveryEnvironmental ImpactPopulation HealthPublic Health SystemsSocial BehaviorsSocial Determinants of Health
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Publications
Publications
Patient satisfaction with different interpreting methods : A randomized controlled trial
AbstractGany, F., Leng, J., Shapiro, E., Abramson, D., Motola, I., Shield, D. C., & Changrani, J. (n.d.).Publication year
2007Journal title
Journal of general internal medicineVolume
22Issue
SUPPL. 2Page(s)
312-318AbstractBACKGROUND: Growth of the foreign-born population in the U.S. has led to increasing numbers of limited-English-proficient (LEP) patients. Innovative medical interpreting strategies, including remote simultaneous medical interpreting (RSMI), have arisen to address the language barrier. This study evaluates the impact of interpreting method on patient satisfaction. METHODS: 1,276 English-, Spanish-, Mandarin-, and Cantonese-speaking patients attending the primary care clinic and emergency department of a large New York City municipal hospital were screened for enrollment in a randomized controlled trial. Language-discordant patients were randomized to RSMI or usual and customary (U&C) interpreting. Patients with language-concordant providers received usual care. Demographic and patient satisfaction questionnaires were administered to all participants. RESULTS: 541 patients were language-concordant with their providers and not randomized; 371 were randomized to RSMI, 167 of whom were exposed to RSMI; and 364 were randomized to U&C, 198 of whom were exposed to U&C. Patients randomized to RSMI were more likely than those with U&C to think doctors treated them with respect (RSMI 71%, U&C 64%, p < 0.05), but they did not differ in other measures of physician communication/care. In a linear regression analysis, exposure to RSMI was significantly associated with an increase in overall satisfaction with physician communication/care (β 0.10, 95% CI 0.02-0.18, scale 0-1.0). Patients randomized to RSMI were more likely to think the interpreting method protected their privacy (RSMI 51%, U&C 38%, p < 0.05). Patients randomized to either arm of interpretation reported less comprehension and satisfaction than patients in language-concordant encounters. CONCLUSIONS: While not a substitute for language-concordant providers, RSMI can improve patient satisfaction and privacy among LEP patients. Implementing RSMI should be considered an important component of a multipronged approach to addressing language barriers in health care.Persistence of mental health needs among children affected by hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
AbstractOlteanu, A., Arnberger, R., Grant, R., Davis, C., Abramson, D., & Asola, J. (n.d.).Publication year
2011Journal title
Prehospital and Disaster MedicineVolume
26Issue
1Page(s)
3-6AbstractBackground: Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005 and destroyed the infrastructure of New Orleans. Mass evacuation ensued. The immediate and long-lasting impact of these events on the mental health of children have been reported in survey research. This study was done to describe the nature of mental health need of children during the four years after Hurricane Katrina using clinical data from a comprehensive healthcare program. Medical and mental health services were delivered on mobile clinics that traveled to medically underserved communities on a regular schedule beginning immediately after the hurricane. Patients were self-selected residents of New Orleans. Most had incomes below the federal poverty level and were severely affected by the hurricane. Methods: Paper charts of pediatric mental health patients were reviewed for visits beginning with the establishment of the mental health program from 01 July 2007 through 30 June 2009 (n = 296). Demographics, referral sources, presenting problems, diagnoses, and qualitative data describing Katrina-related traumatic exposures were abstracted. Psychosocial data were abstracted from medical charts. Data were coded and processed for demographic, referral, and diagnostic trends. Results: Mental health service needs continued unabated throughout this period (two to nearly four years post-event). In 2008, 29% of pediatric primary care patients presented with mental health or developmental/learning problems, including the need for intensive case management. The typical presentation of pediatric mental health patients was a disruptive behavior disorder with an underlying mood or anxiety disorder. Qualitative descriptive data are presented to illustrate the traumatic post-disaster experience of many children. School referrals for mental health evaluation and services were overwhelmingly made for disruptive behavior disorders. Pediatric referrals were more nuanced, reflecting underlying mood and anxiety disorders. Histories indicated that many missed opportunities for earlier identification and intervention. Conclusions: Mental health and case management needs persisted four years after Hurricane Katrina and showed no signs of abating. Many children who received mental health services had shown signs of psychological distress prior to the hurricane, and no causal inferences are drawn between disaster experience and psychiatric disorders. Post-disaster mental health and case management services should remain available for years post-event. To ensure timely identification and intervention of child mental health needs, pediatricians and school officials may need additional training.Preparedness and emergency response research centers : Early returns on investment in evidence-based public health systems research
AbstractQari, S. H., Abramson, D., Kushma, J. A., & Halverson, P. K. (n.d.).Publication year
2014Journal title
Public Health ReportsVolume
129Page(s)
1-4Abstract~Prevalence and predictors of mental health distress post-katrina : Findings from the gulf coast child and family health study
AbstractAbramson, D., Stehling-Ariza, T., Garfield, R., & Redlener, I. (n.d.).Publication year
2008Journal title
Disaster medicine and public health preparednessVolume
2Issue
2Page(s)
77-86AbstractBackground: Catastrophic disasters often are associated with massive structural, economic, and population devastation; less understood are the long-term mental health consequences. This study measures the prevalence and predictors of mental health distress and disability of hurricane survivors over an extended period of recovery in a postdisaster setting. Methods: A representative sample of 1077 displaced or greatly affected households was drawn in 2006 using a stratified cluster sampling of federally subsidized emergency housing settings in Louisiana and Mississippi, and of Mississippi census tracts designated as having experienced major damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Two rounds of data collection were conducted: a baseline face-to-face interview at 6 to 12 months post-Katrina, and a telephone follow-up at 20 to 23 months after the disaster. Mental health disability was measured using the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 12, version 2 mental component summary score. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted examining socioeconomic, demographic, situational, and attitudinal factors associated with mental health distress and disability. Results: More than half of the cohort at both baseline and follow-up reported significant mental health distress. Self-reported poor health and safety concerns were persistently associated with poorer mental health. Nearly 2 years after the disaster, the greatest predictors of poor mental health included situational characteristics such as greater numbers of children in a household and attitudinal characteristics such as fatalistic sentiments and poor self-efficacy. Informal social support networks were associated significantly with better mental health status. Housing and economic circumstances were not independently associated with poorer mental health. Conclusions: Mental health distress and disability are pervasive issues among the US Gulf Coast adults and children who experienced long-term displacement or other serious effects as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As time progresses postdisaster, social and psychological factors may play greater roles in accelerating or impeding recovery among affected populations. Efforts to expand disaster recovery and preparedness policies to include long-term social re-engagement efforts postdisaster should be considered as a means of reducing mental health sequelae. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2008;2:77-86).Public health disaster research : surveying the field, defining its future.
AbstractAbramson, D., Morse, S. S., Garrett, A. L., & Redlener, I. (n.d.).Publication year
2007Journal title
Disaster medicine and public health preparednessVolume
1Issue
1Page(s)
57-62Abstract~Rapid Behavioral Health Assessment Post-disaster : Developing and Validating a Brief, Structured Module
AbstractGoldmann, E., Abramson, D., Piltch-Loeb, R., Samarabandu, A., Goodson, V., Azofeifa, A., Hagemeyer, A., Al-Amin, N., & Lyerla, R. (n.d.).Publication year
2021Journal title
Journal of Community HealthVolume
46Issue
5Page(s)
982-991AbstractTo develop and validate a brief, structured, behavioral health module for use by local public health practitioners to rapidly assess behavioral health needs in disaster settings. Data were collected through in-person, telephone, and web-based interviews of 101 individuals affected by Hurricanes Katrina (n = 44) and Sandy (n = 57) in New Orleans and New Jersey in April and May 2018, respectively. Questions included in the core module were selected based on convergent validity, internal consistency reliability, test–retest reliability across administration modes, principal component analysis (PCA), question comprehension, efficiency, accessibility, and use in population-based surveys. Almost all scales showed excellent internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha, 0.79–0.92), convergent validity (r > 0.61), and test–retest reliability (in-person vs. telephone, intra-class coefficient, ICC, 0.75–1.00; in-person vs. web-based ICC, 0.73–0.97). PCA of the behavioral health scales yielded two components to include in the module—mental health and substance use. The core module has 26 questions—including self-reported general health (1 question); symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety (Primary Care PTSD Screen, Patient Health Questionnaire-4; 8 questions); drinking and other substance use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise, AUDIT-C; Drug Abuse Screening Test, DAST-10; stand-alone question regarding increased substance use since disaster; 14 questions); prior mental health conditions, treatment, and treatment disruption (3 questions)—and can be administered in 5–10 minutes through any mode. This flexible module allows practitioners to quickly evaluate behavioral health needs, effectively allocate resources, and appropriately target interventions to help promote recovery of disaster-affected communities.Recovery research, Katrina's fifth anniversary, and lessons relearned
AbstractRedlener, I., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2010Journal title
Disaster medicine and public health preparednessVolume
4Issue
SUPPL. 1Page(s)
S8-S9Abstract~Recruiting Rare and Hard-to- reach Populations: A Sampling Strategy for Surveying NYC Residents Living with HIV/AIDS doi
AbstractAbramson, D., Messeri, P., Aidala, A. A., Healton, C., Jessop, D., & Jetter, D. (n.d.).Publication year
1995Journal title
Journal of the American Statistical AssociationAbstract~Risk salience of a novel virus : US population risk perception, knowledge, and receptivity to public health interventions regarding the Zika virus prior to local transmission
AbstractPiltch-Loeb, R., Abramson, D., & Merdjanoff, A. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2017Journal title
PloS oneVolume
12Issue
12AbstractBackground As the incidence of Zika infection accelerated in Central and South American countries from November 2015 through April 2016, U.S. public health officials developed vector control and risk communication strategies to address mosquito-borne and sexual modes of transmission. This study reports upon U.S. perceptions of the Zika virus prior to domestic transmission, and analyzes the association of socio-economic, political, knowledge and risk factors with population receptivity to selected behavioral, environmental, and clinical intervention strategies. Methods A representative sample of 1,233 U.S. residents was drawn from address-based telephone and mobile phone lists, including an oversample of 208 women of child-bearing age living in five U.S. southern states. Data were collected between April and June, 2016, and weighted to represent U.S. population distributions. Results Overall, 78% of the U.S. population was aware of Zika prior to domestic transmission. Those unaware of the novel virus were more likely to be younger, lower income, and of Hispanic ethnicity. Among those aware of Zika, over half would delay pregnancy for a year or more in response to public health warnings; approximately one third agreed with a possible vector-control strategy of targeted indoor spraying by the government; and nearly two-thirds agreed that the government should make pregnancy-termination services available to women who learn their fetus had a Zika-related birth defect. Receptivity to these public health interventions varied by age, risk perception, and knowledge of the virus. Conclusion Risk salience and population receptivity to public health interventions targeting a novel virus can be conditioned on pre-existing characteristics in the event of an emerging infectious disease. Risk communicators should consider targeted strategies to encourage adoption of behavioral, environmental, and clinical interventions.Rural and suburban population surge following detonation of an improvised nuclear device : A new model to estimate impact
AbstractMeit, M., Redlener, I., Briggs, T. W., Kwanisai, M., Culp, D., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2011Journal title
Disaster medicine and public health preparednessVolume
5Issue
SUPPL. 1Page(s)
S143-S150AbstractBackground: The objective of the study was to model urban evacuation into surrounding communities after the detonation of an improvised nuclear device (IND) to assist rural and suburban planners in understanding and effectively planning to address the effects of population surges. Methods: Researchers developed parameters for how far evacuees would travel to escape disasters and factors that would influence choice of destination from studies of historical evacuations, surveys of citizens' evacuation intentions in hypothetical disasters, and semistructured interviews with key informants and emergency preparedness experts. Those parameters became the inputs to a "push-pull" model of how many people would flee in the 4 scenarios and where they would go. Results: The expanded model predicted significant population movements from the New York City borough of Manhattan and counties within 20 km of Manhattan to counties within a 150-mi radius of the assumed IND detonation. It also predicted that even in some communities located far from Manhattan, arriving evacuees would increase the population needing services by 50% to 150%. Conclusions: The results suggest that suburban and rural communities could be overwhelmed by evacuees from their center city following an IND detonation. They also highlight the urgency of educating and communicating with the public about radiation hazards to mitigate panic and hysteria, anticipating the ways in which a mass exodus may disrupt or even cripple rescue and response efforts, and devising creative ways to exercise and drill for an event about which there is great denial and fatalism.School interventions after the Joplin tornado
AbstractKanter, R. K., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2014Journal title
Prehospital and Disaster MedicineVolume
29Issue
2Page(s)
214-217AbstractBackground/Objective To qualitatively describe interventions by schools to meet children's needs after the May 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado. Methods Qualitative exploratory study conducted six months after the tornado. Key informant interviews with school staff (teachers, psychologists, guidance counselor, nurse, principal), public health official, and physicians. Report After the tornado, school staff immediately worked to contact every enrolled child to provide assistance and coordinate recovery services. Despite severe damage to half of the city's schools, the decision was made to reopen schools at the earliest possible time to provide a safe, reassuring environment and additional services. An expanded summer school session emphasized child safety and emotional wellbeing. The 2011-2012 school year began on time, less than three months after the disaster, using temporary facilities. Displaced children were bused to their usual schools regardless of their new temporary residence locations. In just-in-time training sessions, teachers developed strategies to support students and staff experiencing anxiety or depression. Certified counselors conducted school-based, small-group counseling for students. Selective referrals were made to community mental health providers for children with greatest needs. Conclusions Evidence from Joplin adds to a small body of empirical experience demonstrating the important contribution of schools to postdisaster community recovery. Despite timely and proactive services, many families and children struggled after the tornado. Improvements in the effectiveness of postdisaster interventions at schools will follow from future scientific evidence on optimal approaches.Social capital, neighborhood disorder, and disaster recovery
AbstractClay, L., Papas, M., Abramson, D., & Kendra, J. (n.d.).Publication year
2017Journal title
Journal of Emergency ManagementVolume
15Issue
4Page(s)
233-246AbstractObjective: This study examined social institutions as a contextual factor that may influence perceptions of neighborhood physical and social disorder during disaster recovery. Design: The study used descriptive statistics and fit logistic regression models. Setting and Participants: Participants in this study (n = 772) were recruited from temporary housing in Louisiana and Mississippi as part of the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study, a longitudinal study of households heavily impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Community data were obtained from the Dun and Bradstreet Million Dollar Database and the American Community Survey. Outcome measure(s): Social disorder was assessed by asking respondents how concerned they are about issues such as being robbed or walking alone at night. Physical disorder was assessed by asking about problems experienced in the last month such as broken or missing windows and presence of mice or rats. Results: Greater income (β = -0.17, SE = 0.07), housing stability (β = -0.16, SE = 0.07), social support (β = -0.09, SE = 0.04), and home ownership (β = -0.10, SE = 0.05) were associated with lower social disorder and a larger male population at the community level was associated with greater social disorder (β = 0.00, SE = 0.00). Greater social support (β = -0.11, SE = 0.04), housing stability (β = -0.15, SE = 0.06), and higher income (β = -0.10, SE = 0.07) were associated with lower physical disorder. Conclusions: Longitudinal research is needed to understand the direction of influence between neighborhood factors and to household ability to provide for basic needs postdisaster. The findings also highlight the need for further research on postdisaster male behavior.Strategies and Costs of Building and Maintaining a Longitudinal Disaster Cohort
AbstractGoff, A. B., Friedman, S. A., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2022Journal title
International Journal of Mass Emergencies and DisastersVolume
41Issue
1Page(s)
26-38AbstractLong-term individual recovery from a catastrophic event involves the restoration of critical lifelines such as housing and employment as well as social and emotional well-being, particularly for displaced and highly traumatized populations. One strategy for measuring recovery over time involves a longitudinal observational cohort. This analysis examines the cost and effort involved in developing and maintaining a longitudinal cohort. The Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study recruited 1,079 randomly sampled individuals in Louisiana and Mississippi within months after Hurricane Katrina and followed them for 13 years. Participants in the study were interviewed in person five times over the study period. Despite the challenges involved in maintaining a transient and economically vulnerable study cohort, 80.4 percent of all eligible participants were surveyed at the fifth time point, over a decade after the event. At each round of data collection, the refusal rate ranged from less than 1 percent to 3.3 percent. Reasons for non-participation included institutional inaccessibility for those who were incarcerated, in treatment programs, or in nursing homes. Physical and mental health issues which precluded participation included cognitive decline and significant loss of function. Other participants were lost to follow-up or death. At the final round of face-to-face interviewing in 2018, the average field cost per survey was $353.27, not including a respondent incentive of $50, and required an average of 15.74 hours per case to complete. This report describes the strategies employed to maintain such a long-term disaster cohort.Summary Tables for Client Survey. The First Cases. : C.H.A.I.N. Technical Report #4
AbstractHealton, C., Messeri, P., Aidala, A. A., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
1995Abstract~Summary Tables for Client Survey: The First 100 Cases : Community health AIDS Information Network Technical Report #7
AbstractMesseri, P., Healton, C., Aidala, A. A., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
1995Abstract~Support for vector control strategies in the United States during the Zika outbreak in 2016 : The role of risk perception, knowledge, and confidence in government
AbstractPiltch-Loeb, R., Merdjanoff, A. A., Bhanja, A., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2019Journal title
Preventive MedicineVolume
119Page(s)
52-57AbstractLimiting the spread and impact of Zika was a major global priority in 2016, which required a variety of vector control measures. The success of vector control campaigns is varied and often dependent on public or political will. This paper examines the change over time in the United States population's support for vector control and the factors that predicted support for three vector control strategies (i.e., indoor spraying, outdoor spraying, and use of larvacide tablets) during the 2016 Zika outbreak in the United States. Data is from a nationally representative random digit dial sample conducted at three time points in 2016. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were used, treating data as a pooled cross-sectional sample. Results show public support for vector control strategies depends on both perceived risk for disease and knowledge of disease characteristics, as well is confidence in government to prevent the threat. Support varied based on vector control method: indoor spraying, aerial spraying, and use of larvacide tables. Results can aide public health officials in implementing effective vector control campaigns depending on the vector control strategy of choice. Results have implications for ways to design effective prevention campaigns in future emerging infectious disease threats.The COVID-19 Healthcare Personnel Study (CHPS) : Overview, methods, and preliminary findings
AbstractDiMaggio, C., Abramson, D., Susser, E. S., Hoven, C. W., Chen, Q., Andrews, H. F., Herman, D., Kreniske, J., Ryan, M., Susser, I., Thorpe, L. E., & Li, G. (n.d.).Publication year
2022Journal title
Journal of Neurosurgical AnesthesiologyVolume
34Issue
1Page(s)
148-151AbstractIntroduction: The COVID-19 Healthcare Personnel Study (CHPS) was designed to assess adverse short-term and long-term physical and mental health impacts of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on New York's physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Methods: Online population-based survey. Survey-weighted descriptive results, frequencies, proportions, and means, with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Odds ratios (ORs) for association. Results: Over half (51.5%; 95% CI: 49.1, 54.0) of respondents worked directly with COVID-19 patients; 27.3% (95% CI: 22.5, 32.2) tested positive. The majority (57.6%; 95% CI: 55.2, 60.0) reported a negative impact on their mental health. Negative mental health was associated with COVID-19 symptoms (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3, 2.1) and redeployment to unfamiliar functions (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.6). Conclusions: A majority of New York health care providers treated COVID-19 patients and reported a negative impact on their mental health.The Determintal Effect of High Mobility on Long-Term Mental Health Trajectories Following Hurricane Katrina
AbstractMerdjanoff, A. A., Friedman, S. A., Piltch-Loeb, R., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2023Journal title
International Journal of Mass Emergencies and DisastersVolume
41Issue
1Page(s)
121-132AbstractThis article uses longitudinal data from the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study to examine the impact of residential mobility on the long-term mental health trajectories of individuals displaced or severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Analyses begin with a descriptive understanding of residential mobility post-Katrina, including an explanation of who moved and how often in the 13 years after the storm, and determine which social groups were more likely to experience residential mobility than others. Secondly, it builds on these descriptive results by examining how residential mobility can influence the mental health of disaster survivors over time. Lastly, analyses determine how residential mobility rates differ depending on various social characteristics, and how such relationships influence mental health recovery. Results demonstrate that there is a statistically significant relationship between high rates of residential mobility and mental health recovery, and that particular social characteristics increase the risk for high residential mobility.The effects of cumulative natural disaster exposure on adolescent psychological distress
AbstractMeltzer, G. Y., Zacher, M., Merdjanoff, A. A., Do, M. P., Pham, N. N., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2021Journal title
Journal of Applied Research on ChildrenVolume
12Issue
1Abstract~The formation of belief : An examination of factors that influence climate change belief among Hurricane Katrina survivors
AbstractTeyton, A., & Abramson, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2021Journal title
Environmental JusticeVolume
14Issue
3Page(s)
169-177AbstractDifferences in population-level climate change beliefs have been identified, which are often attributable to coastline proximity, urban–rural classifications, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, gender, education, socioeconomic status, and age. This study assessed the impact of spatial, experiential, and demographic-related characteristics on climate change beliefs among a population of Hurricane Katrina survivors. Participants from the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study who answered climate change belief questions were included in this analysis. Race was found to be the most critical contributor to climate change belief, where the adjusted odds of white individuals believing in climate change were 0.2 times the odds of Black individuals believing in climate change (confidence interval: 0.1–0.4). Other sociodemographic factors, such as age, gender, income, and education, were not found to be significant. Several theoretical perspectives were considered to explain the variation in climate change beliefs, including social vulnerability, environmental deprivation, and political ideology. Future research as to why these racial differences exist should be conducted. By doing so, climate change communication, education, and mitigation and adaptation strategies may be improved.The impact of ancillary HIV services on engagement in medical care in New York City
AbstractAbramson, D., Messeri, P. A., Abramson, D. M., Aidala, A. A., Lee, F., & Lee, G. (n.d.).Publication year
2002Journal title
AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIVVolume
14Issue
SUPPL. 1Page(s)
S15-S29AbstractThe advent of antiretroviral therapies in 1996 prompted an interest in the role played by ancillary services in improving access to and retention in medical care, particularly since the success of the new therapies is often contingent upon ongoing and appropriate primary medical care. Using self-reported survey data from a longitudinal representative sample of 577 HIV-positive adults in New York City, this paper explores the impact of such supportive services as drug treatment, case management, housing assistance, mental health treatment and transportation on engagement with medical care. The study's principal finding was that specific ancillary services were significantly associated with an increase in an individual's likelihood of entering medical care and maintaining appropriate medical care services for HIV, particularly when the services addressed a corresponding need.The influence of risk perception on disaster recovery : A case study of new Jersey families impacted by hurricane sandy
AbstractLynch, K. A., Abramson, D., & Merdjanoff, A. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2024Journal title
International Journal of Disaster Risk ReductionVolume
100AbstractIntroduction: Risk perceptions of extreme weather events have been explored extensively through the lens of emergency preparation, but the influence of pre-storm risk perceptions on resilience and recovery trajectories are understudied. The objective of this qualitative analysis is to explore 1) the factors which shape residents' perception of risk prior to an event, and 2) how these factors contribute to ‘sensemaking,’ after the storm to influence experiences of recovery. Methods: Eight focus groups and ten in-depth interviews (N = 38) from the Hurricane Sandy Child Impact Study were analyzed using grounded theory. The sample comprised of New Jersey residents who experienced housing damage or displacement during Hurricane Sandy. Verbatim transcripts were coded using iterative phases of open, axial, and selective coding. Results: Grounded theory analysis identified three major themes: 1) Local ecological knowledge and place-based intergenerational memory shaped respondents’ initial risk perceptions, their framing of the event, and its consequences; 2) Unclear institutional decision-making complicated recovery planning and actions; 3) Inaccurate pre-storm risk perceptions led to traumatic memories and decreased self-efficacy in managing recovery. This mismatch in perception and outcome led participants to feel that they had been ill-informed before and during the storm and created skepticism of government recommendations and services during the recovery phase. Conclusions: Local ecological knowledge and intergenerational memory are critical factors that shape pre-storm risk perception and can subsequently influence trust in officials, service utilization, and perceptions of recovery. Themes identified in this analysis suggest the need for future longitudinal research to investigate the extent to which pre-storm risk perception is predictive of post-disaster recovery and resilience.The influence of risk perception on disaster recovery: A case study of new Jersey families impacted by hurricane sandy
AbstractAbramson, D., Lynch, K. A., Abramson, D. M., & Merdjanoff, A. A. (n.d.).Journal title
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTIONAbstract~The Medical Home and Care Coordination in Disaster Recovery : Hypothesis for Interventions and Research
AbstractKanter, R. K., Abramson, D., Redlener, I., & Gracy, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2015Journal title
Disaster medicine and public health preparednessVolume
9Issue
4Page(s)
337-343AbstractIn postdisaster settings, health care providers encounter secondary surges of unmet primary care and mental health needs that evolve throughout disaster recovery phases. Whatever a community's predisaster adequacy of health care, postdisaster gaps are similar to those of any underserved region. We hypothesize that existing practice and evidence supporting medical homes and care coordination in primary care for the underserved provide a favorable model for improving health in disrupted communities. Elements of medical home services can be offered by local or temporary providers from outside the region, working out of mobile clinics early in disaster recovery. As repairs and reconstruction proceed, local services are restored over weeks or years. Throughout recovery, major tasks include identifying high-risk patients relative to the disaster and underlying health conditions, assisting displaced families as they transition through housing locations, and tracking their evolving access to health care and community services as they are restored. Postdisaster sources of financial assistance for the disaster-exposed population are often temporary and evolving, requiring up-to-date information to cover costs of care until stable services and insurance coverage are restored. Evidence to support disaster recovery health care improvement will require research funding and metrics on structures, processes, and outcomes of the disaster recovery medical home and care coordination, based on adaptation of standard validated methods to crisis environments.The New York State COVID-19 Healthcare Personnel Study: One-Year Follow-up of Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants, 2020-2021
AbstractAbramson, D., DiMaggio, C., Susser, E., Frangos, S., Abramson, D., Andrews, H., Hoven, C., Ryan, M., & Li, G. (n.d.).Publication year
2023Journal title
Public health reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)Volume
138Issue
3Page(s)
518-525AbstractThe COVID-19 Healthcare Personnel Study is a longitudinal survey to assess the changing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the New York State health care workforce. We analyzed results from a follow-up survey of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants on the availability of equipment and personnel, work conditions, physical and mental health of participants, and impact of the pandemic on commitment to their profession.