How to improve smart emergency preparedness for natural disasters? ---- Evidence from the experience of ten pilot provinces in China for smart emergency.

The natural disasters faced by modern urban systems are complex, with multiple disaster-causing factors coexisting and secondary disasters occurring concurrently. With emergency management moving towards smart, natural disaster response has shifted from emergency-centered response to pre-disaster prevention. How to improve the government's natural disaster emergency preparedness has become an important issue that needs to be addressed. Based on the TOE (Technology-Organization-Environment) framework, the fsQCA method was used to explore the improvement path of emergency preparedness capacity of 10 pilot units in China to deal with natural disasters in 2020. Analyze the group effects and interrelationships of technology level, simultaneous supporting facilities, organizational construction, financial investment, external pressure, and social repercussions. The results show that: there exist four conditional groupings of high emergency preparedness in two modes. Two modes are organization-environment dual-drive and technology-organization-environment triple-drive, which have multiple concurrencies and follow the principle of consistent results. There are substitution effects in the conditional groupings of high emergency preparedness. There are causal asymmetries in the conditional groupings of high emergency preparedness and non-high emergency preparedness. This study aims to explore the smart emergency preparedness of ten pilot and to provide ideas for the overall development of "smart emergency response" and the improvement of emergency preparedness for natural disasters.

Maternal experiences of pregnant women affected by natural disasters: A modified grounded theory approach.

Pregnant women experience medical and psychological difficulties in their daily lives during disasters. Since the care provided to them in disaster situations is unclear, it is necessary to better understand their experiences. This study aims to identify the maternal experiences of pregnant women during natural disasters. This research employed a modified grounded theory approach. Twenty-three pregnant women, living in disaster-affected areas, were interviewed. The research methods were utilized and interpretive analysis was conducted, resulting in a diagram and storyline to describe the process. The characteristics of the maternal experiences fluctuated between "being unable to face pregnancy because of the disaster response" and "facing the fact of being pregnant." To maintain a fluctuation between their affected life and their pregnant life, it was necessary to control the weighting between "securing a safe and secure place," "encountering support based on pregnancy," and "signs from the fetus." Clarifying the maternal experiences of pregnant women living in disaster areas revealed a multilayered structure of categories and relationships. This study suggests that understanding the structure of fluctuations and control is critical for the nursing practice.

Abstruse Side of Climate Change, Impact on Malaria: A Systematic Evidence Review Comparing Iran versus Globally.

Background: Infectious outbreaks due to disrupted social and environmental conditions after climate change-induced events complicate disasters. This research aimed to determine the contentions of bioclimatic variables and extreme events on the prevalence of the most common Climate-Sensitive Infectious Disease (CSID); Malaria in Iran. Methods: The present narrative systematic review study was conducted on the bioclimatic variable impact on the prevalence of malaria, as a common CSID. The search was conducted in 3 sections: global climate change-related studies, disaster related, and studies that were conducted in Iran. The literature search was focused on papers published in English and Persian from Mar 2000 to Dec 2021, using electronic databases; Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, SID, Magiran, and IranDoc. Results: Overall, 41 studies met the inclusion criteria. The various types of climatic variables including; Temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, and hydrological events including; flood, drought, and cyclones has been reported as a predictor of malaria. The results of studies, inappropriately and often were inconsistent in both Iran and other parts of the world. Conclusion: Identifying malaria outbreak risks is essential to assess vulnerability, and a starting point to identify where the health system is required to reduce the vulnerability and exposure of the population. The finding of most related studies is not congruent to achieve reliable information, more extensive studies in all climates and regions of the country, by climatic models and high accuracy risk map, using the long period of bioclimatic variables and malaria trend is recommended.

Searching for a sustainable solution to increasing chemical pollution.

The growing world population and the development of civilization put pressure on the environment. Irreversible climate changes, biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, land and water degradation, and food scarcity took place. Climate changes affect human health through extreme atmospheric phenomena or indirect effects of ecosystem disruption. The intensification of natural disasters increases the risk of technical failures, and the growing production and release of larger quantities and more new chemical compounds, with different hazard potentials, exceeds the environment's adaptability and societies' ability to monitor changes and conduct safety assessments. The article reviews the knowledge and approach to the possibility of reducing the risks and effects of events resulting from chemical pollution. As stated, prevention of further environmental degradation and increased preparedness for natural disasters caused by climate change is critical to public safety and requires contingency plans to continuously adapt to the changing frequency, intensity, and scale of natural disasters.

The role of social capital in the impact of multiple shocks on households' coping strategies in underdeveloped rural areas.

Social capital has long been recognized as a facilitator of socio-economic development. However, the role of social capital in enhancing resilience to multiple shocks in rural China remains insufficiently explored. This study focus on the resilience of households that have recently get rid of poverty and reside in underdeveloped rural areas of China. Unlike previous studies, the article incorporates multiple shocks, social capital, and households' coping strategies into a research framework at the micro level. This study systematically analyses the multiple shocks experienced by households, their coping strategies, and further explores the mediating role of social capital. Utilizing two waves of a rural household panel survey data collected in six underdeveloped counties in 2015 and 2018 in China, we present four key findings. Currently, households primarily contend with drought, illness of family members, and the high costs of agricultural inputs as the main shocks. Their predominant coping strategy is reducing consumption. Importantly, social capital exhibits a mediating effect, accounting for 9.8% of the impact of multiple shocks on households' coping strategies. Notably, natural disasters significantly diminish the informal functions of social capital. While social capital exerts a full mediating effect in non-agricultural households, this effect is not observed among others. This study contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics and specificities of social capital in vulnerable rural areas. Additionally, the findings provide policymakers with practical insights regarding differentiated and preemptive risk governance approaches.

A Community Mental Health Integrated Disaster Preparedness Intervention for Bushfire Recovery in Rural Australian Communities: Protocol for a Multimethods Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Natural hazards are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. Many of these natural disasters cannot be prevented; what may be reduced is the extent of the risk and negative impact on people and property. Research indicates that the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia (also known as the "Black Summer Bushfires") resulted in significant psychological distress among Australians both directly and indirectly exposed to the fires. Previous intervention research suggests that communities impacted by natural hazards (eg, earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods) can benefit from interventions that integrate mental health and social support components within disaster preparedness frameworks. Research suggests that disaster-affected communities often prefer the support of community leaders, local services, and preexisting relationships over external supports, highlighting that community-based interventions, where knowledge stays within the local community, are highly beneficial. The Community-Based Disaster Mental Health Intervention (CBDMHI) is an evidence-based approach that aims to increase disaster preparedness, resilience, social cohesion, and social support (disaster-related help-seeking), and decrease mental health symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to gain insight into rural Australian's recovery needs post natural hazards, and to enhance community resilience in advance of future fires. Specifically, this research aims to adapt the CBDMHI for the rural Australian context and for bushfires and second, to assess the acceptability and feasibility of the adapted CBDMHI in a rural Australian community. METHODS: Phase 1 consists of qualitative interviews (individual or dyads) with members of the target bushfire-affected rural community. Analysis of these data will include identifying themes related to disaster preparedness, social cohesion, and mental health, which will inform the adaptation. An initial consultation phase is a key component of the adaptation process and, therefore, phase 2 will involve additional discussion with key stakeholders and members of the community to further guide adaptation of the CBDMHI to specific community needs, building on phase 1 inputs. Phase 3 includes identifying and training local community leaders in the adapted intervention. Following this, leaders will co-deliver the intervention. The acceptability and feasibility of the adapted CBDMHI within the community will be evaluated by questionnaires and semistructured interviews. Effectiveness will be evaluated by quantifying psychological distress, resilience, community cohesion, psychological preparedness, and help-seeking intentions. RESULTS: This study has received institutional review board approval and commenced phase 1 recruitment in October 2022. CONCLUSIONS: The study will identify if the adapted CBDMHI is viable and acceptable within a village in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. These findings will inform future scale-up in the broader rural Australian context. If this intervention is well received, the CBDMHI may be valuable for future disaster recovery and preparedness efforts in rural Australia. These findings may inform future scale-up in the broader rural Australian context. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/53454.

Longitudinal associations between post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth among older adults 11 years after a disaster.

AIMS: Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding the association between post-traumatic stress (PTS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG). Three major issues could account for this inconsistency: (1) the lack of information about mental health problems before the disaster, (2) the concept of PTG is still under scrutiny for potentially being an illusionary perception of personal growth and (3) the overlooking of PTS comorbidities as time-dependent confounding factors. To address these issues, we explored the associations of PTS and PTG with trauma-related diseases and examined the association between PTS and PTG using marginal structural models to address time-dependent confounding, considering pre-disaster covariates, among older survivors of the 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. METHODS: Seven months before the disaster, the baseline survey was implemented to ask older adults about their health in a city located 80 km west of the epicentre. After the disaster, we implemented follow-up surveys approximately every 3 years to collect information about PTS and comorbidities (depressive symptoms, smoking and drinking). We asked respondents about their PTG in the 2022 survey (n = 1,489 in the five-wave panel data). RESULTS: PTG was protectively associated with functional disability (coefficient -0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.82, -0.12, P < 0.01) and cognitive decline assessed by trained investigators (coefficient -0.07, 95% CI -0.11, -0.03, P < 0.01) and physicians (coefficient -0.06, 95% CI -0.11, -0.02, P < 0.01), while PTS was not significantly associated with them. Severely affected PTS (binary variable) was associated with higher PTG scores, even after adjusting for depressive symptoms, smoking and drinking as time-dependent confounders (coefficient 0.35, 95% CI 0.24, 0.46, P < 0.01). We also found that an ordinal variable of the PTS score had an inverse U-shaped association with PTG. CONCLUSION: PTG and PTS were differentially associated with functional and cognitive disabilities. Thus, PTG might not simply be a cognitive bias among survivors with severe PTS. The results also indicated that the number of symptoms in PTS had an inverse U-shaped association with PTG. Our findings provided robust support for the theory of PTG, suggesting that moderate levels of psychological struggles (i.e., PTS) are essential for achieving PTG, whereas intense PTS may hinder the attainment of PTG. From a clinical perspective, interventions that encourage social support could be beneficial in achieving PTG by facilitating deliberate rumination.

A scoping review on the associations between early childhood caries and sustainable cities and communities using the sustainable development goal 11 framework.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a multifactorial disease in which environmental factors could play a role. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the published literature that assessed the association between the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which tried to make cities and human settlements safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, and ECC. METHODS: This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. In July 2023, a search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using tailored search terms related to housing, urbanization, waste management practices, and ECC. Studies that solely examined ECC prevalence without reference to SDG11 goals were excluded. Of those that met the inclusion criteria, a summary highlighting the countries and regions where the studies were conducted, the study designs employed, and the findings were done. In addition, the studies were also linked to relevant SDG11 targets. RESULTS: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria with none from the African Region. Six studies assessed the association between housing and ECC, with findings suggesting that children whose parents owned a house had lower ECC prevalence and severity. Other house related parameters explored were size, number of rooms, cost and building materials used. The only study on the relationship between the prevalence of ECC and waste management modalities at the household showed no statistically significant association. Five studies identified a relationship between urbanization and ECC (urbanization, size, and remoteness of the residential) with results suggesting that there was no significant link between ECC and urbanization in high-income countries contrary to observations in low and middle-income countries. No study assessed the relationship between living in slums, natural disasters and ECC. We identified links between ECC and SDG11.1 and SDG 11.3. The analysis of the findings suggests a plausible link between ECC and SDG11C (Supporting least developed countries to build resilient buildings). CONCLUSION: There are few studies identifying links between ECC and SDG11, with the findings suggesting the possible differences in the impact of urbanization on ECC by country income-level and home ownership as a protective factor from ECC. Further research is needed to explore measures of sustainable cities and their links with ECC within the context of the SDG11.

The disaster liaison for pediatric and perinatal medicine: A new system in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, children, newborns, and pregnant or postpartum women are vulnerable to disasters and emergency situations, and providing support to this population is of great concern. Japan is located in a disaster-prone area, so disaster response and risk reduction strategies are important priorities. METHODS: We introduce a system called the Disaster Liaison for Pediatric and Perinatal Medicine (DLPPM). This was created with a specific focus on perinatal children and pregnant women in Japan. We report the details of its activities, discuss its challenges, and draw on lessons learned for the further development of perinatal support systems, particularly for children. RESULTS: The lessons learned from the activities of the DLPPM include the following: (1) establish a support system for emergency specialists beyond those with pediatric and perinatal specialties; (2) mitigate the risk of indirect damage caused by primary disasters; and (3) establish a networking function linked to existing pediatric and perinatal medicine facilities. CONCLUSIONS: By establishing similar systems, we believe that it will be feasible to address pediatric and perinatal care needs in disaster response contexts in other countries and regions around the world.

Predicting Post-Disaster Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Trajectories: The Role of Pre-Disaster Traumatic Experiences.

The mental health impact of disasters is substantial, with 30-40% of direct disaster victims developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is not yet clear why some people cope well with disaster-related trauma while others experience chronic dysfunction. Prior research on non-disaster trauma suggests that an individual's history of traumatic experiences earlier in the life course, prior to the disaster, may be a key factor in explaining variability in psychological responses to disasters. This study evaluated the extent to which pre-disaster trauma predicts PTSD trajectories in a sample of Hurricane Katrina survivors followed for 12 years after the storm. Four PTSD trajectories were identified using latent class growth analysis: Resistant (49.0%), Recovery (29.3%), Delayed-Onset (8.0%), and Chronic-High (13.7%). After adjusting for covariates, pre-Katrina trauma had only a small, positive impact on the probability of long-term, chronic Katrina-specific PTSD, and little effect on the probability of the Resistant and Delayed-Onset trajectories. Higher pre-Katrina trauma exposure moderately decreased the probability of being in the Recovery trajectory, in which Katrina-specific PTSD symptoms are initially high before declining over time. When covariates were added to the model one at a time, the association between pre-Katrina trauma and Chronic-High PTSD was attenuated most by the addition of Katrina-related trauma. Our findings suggest that while pre-disaster trauma exposure does not have a strong direct effect on chronic Katrina-specific PTSD, pre-Katrina trauma may impact PTSD through other factors that affect Katrina-related PTSD, such as by increasing the severity of Katrina-related trauma. These findings have important implications for the development of disaster preparedness strategies to diminish the long-term burden of disaster-related PTSD.

The causal effect of mental health on labor market outcomes: The case of stress-related mental disorders following a human-made disaster.

As disasters increase due to climate change, population density, epidemics, and technology, information is needed about postdisaster consequences for people's mental health and how stress-related mental disorders affect multiple spheres of life, including labor-market attachment. We tested the causal hypothesis that individuals who developed stress-related mental disorders as a consequence of their disaster exposure experienced subsequent weak labor-market attachment and poor work-related outcomes. We leveraged a natural experiment in an instrumental variables model, studying a 2004 fireworks factory explosion disaster that precipitated the onset of stress-related disorders (posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression) among individuals in the local community (N = 86,726). We measured labor-market outcomes using longitudinal population-level administrative data: sick leave, unemployment benefits, early retirement pension, and income from wages from 2007 to 2010. We found that individuals who developed a stress-related disorder after the disaster were likely to go on sickness benefit, both in the short- and long-term, were likely to use unemployment benefits and to lose wage income in the long term. Stress-related disorders did not increase the likelihood of early retirement. The natural experiment design minimized the possibility that omitted confounders biased these effects of mental health on work outcomes. Addressing the mental health and employment needs of survivors after a traumatic experience may improve their labor-market outcomes and their nations' economic outputs.

Associations between housing and psychological damage by earthquake and modifiable risk factors for dementia in general older adults: Tohoku Medical Megabank community-based cohort study.

AIM: To evaluate the association between housing and psychological damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and modifiable risk factors (MRFs) of dementia for general population of older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 29 039 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 69.1 ± 2.9 years, 55.5% women). We evaluated disaster-related damage (by complete or not complete housing damage) and psychological damage (by post-traumatic stress reaction [PTSR]) after the GEJE using a self-report questionnaire. MRFs encompassed the presence of depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, smoking, and diabetes. We examined the association between disaster-related damage and MRFs using ordinary least squares and modified Poisson regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and health status variables. RESULTS: Complete housing damage and PTSR were identified in 2704 (10.0%) and 855 (3.2%) individuals, respectively. The number of MRFs was significantly larger for the individuals with complete housing damage (ß = 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19-0.27) and PTSR (ß = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.53-0.67). Prevalence ratios (PRs) for depression and physical inactivity were higher in individuals with complete housing damage. The PRs for all domains of the MRFs were significantly higher in individuals with PTSR. CONCLUSIONS: Housing and psychological damage caused by the GEJE were associated with an increased risk factor of dementia. To attenuate the risk of dementia, especially among older victims who have experienced housing and psychological damage after a disaster, multidimensional support across various aspects of MRFs is required. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 509-516.

Intersections of Intimate Partner Violence and Natural Disasters: A Systematic Review of the Quantitative Evidence.

Natural disasters and extreme weather events are increasing in both intensity and frequency. Emerging evidence suggests that there is a relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and natural disasters. However, there is a scarcity of methodologically sound research in this area with no systematic review to date. To address the gap, this paper systematically assesses the quantitative evidence on the association between IPV with natural disasters between 1990 and March 2023. There were 27 articles that meet the inclusion criteria for the data extraction process. A quantitative critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of each study and a narrative synthesis approach to explore the findings. The review found an association between IPV and disasters, across disaster types and countries. However, more research is needed to explore the nuances and gaps within the existing knowledge base. It was unclear whether this relationship was causal or if natural disasters heightened existing risk factors. Further, it is inconclusive as to whether disasters create new cases of IPV or exacerbate existing violence. The majority of studies focused on hurricanes and earthquakes with a dearth of research on "slow onset disasters." These gaps represent the need for further research. Further research can provide a more thorough understanding of IPV and natural disasters, increasing stakeholders' ability to strengthen community capacity and reduce IPV when natural disasters occur.

Factors Related to the Willingness of People with Mental Health Illnesses Living in Group Homes to Disclose Their Illness to Supporters during Disaster Evacuation: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Severe heavy rains caused by linear precipitation systems are occurring more frequently in Japan owing to climate change, and residents are being asked to evacuate more often. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the willingness of people with mental health illness (PMHI) in group homes to disclose their illness when being evacuated. Participants were PMHI living in group homes in Japan. We conducted an original anonymous self-administered questionnaire based on previous research. Valid data from 119 people were analyzed. Factors associated with the willingness to disclose illness to supporters upon evacuation were "I can imagine living in a public shelter" (Odds Ratio [OR] 4.50, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.78-11.43), and "I socialize with neighbors" (OR 5.63, 95% CI: 1.74-18.22). Managers of group homes should encourage PMHI to imagine life in an evacuation zone by increasing opportunities for disaster training and for interaction with local residents. People who are less likely to socialize with neighbors should be especially careful, as they may not be able to disclose their illness, and those who support evacuees should pay special attention to these people.

Disaster Plant Pathology: Smart Solutions for Threats to Global Plant Health from Natural and Human-Driven Disasters.

Disaster plant pathology addresses how natural and human-driven disasters impact plant diseases and the requirements for smart management solutions. Local to global drivers of plant disease change in response to disasters, often creating environments more conducive to plant disease. Most disasters have indirect effects on plant health through factors such as disrupted supply chains and damaged infrastructure. There is also the potential for direct effects from disasters, such as pathogen or vector dispersal due to floods, hurricanes, and human migration driven by war. Pulse stressors such as hurricanes and war require rapid responses, whereas press stressors such as climate change leave more time for management adaptation but may ultimately cause broader challenges. Smart solutions for the effects of disasters can be deployed through digital agriculture and decision support systems supporting disaster preparedness and optimized humanitarian aid across scales. Here, we use the disaster plant pathology framework to synthesize the effects of disasters in plant pathology and outline solutions to maintain food security and plant health in catastrophic scenarios. We recommend actions for improving food security before and following disasters, including (i) strengthening regional and global cooperation, (ii) capacity building for rapid implementation of new technologies, (iii) effective clean seed systems that can act quickly to replace seed lost in disasters, (iv) resilient biosecurity infrastructure and risk assessment ready for rapid implementation, and (v) decision support systems that can adapt rapidly to unexpected scenarios. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.

Natural disasters as a public health issue.

This paper explains why natural disasters are a public health issue. A case in point is the Masara landslide in Maco Town, the Philippines. Public health concerns are not just the physical but also the 'total well-being of persons'. Classifying natural calamities as a concern related to public health will give a sense of urgency on the matter and thereby encourage governments to act on the negative effects of climate change, especially in developing countries.

Existing Challenges and Opportunities for Advancing Drought and Health Research.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Drought is one of the most far-reaching natural disasters, yet drought and health research is sparse. This may be attributed to the challenge of quantifying drought exposure, something complicated by multiple drought indices without any designed for health research. The purpose of this general review is to evaluate current drought and health literature and highlight challenges or scientific considerations when performing drought exposure and health assessments. RECENT FINDINGS: The literature revealed a small, but growing, number of drought and health studies primarily emphasizing Australian, western European, and US populations. The selection of drought indices and definitions of drought are inconsistent. Rural and agricultural populations have been identified as vulnerable cohorts, particularly for mental health outcomes. Using relevant examples, we discuss the importance of characterizing drought and explore why health outcomes, populations of interest, and compound environmental hazards are crucial considerations for drought and health assessments. As climate and health research is prioritized, we propose guidance for investigators performing drought-focused analyses.

Heat-related mortality and ambulance transport after a power outage in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Background: Air conditioners can prevent heat-related illness and mortality, but the increased use of air conditioners may enhance susceptibility to heat-related illnesses during large-scale power failures. Here, we examined the risks of heat-related illness ambulance transport (HIAT) and mortality associated with typhoon-related electricity reduction (ER) in the summer months in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Methods: We conducted event study analyses to compare temperature-HIAT and mortality associations before and after the power outage (July to September 2019). To better understand the role of temperature during the power outage, we then examined whether the temperature-HIAT and mortality associations were modified by different power outage levels (0%, 10%, and 20% ER). We computed the ratios of relative risks to compare the risks associated with various ER values to the risks associated without ER. Results: We analyzed the data of 14,912 HIAT cases and 74,064 deaths. Overall, 93,200 power outage cases were observed when the typhoon hit. Event study results showed that the incidence rate ratio was 2.01 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42, 2.84) with effects enduring up to 6 days, and 1.11 (95% CI = 1.02, 1.22) for mortality on the first 3 days after the typhoon hit. Comparing 20% to 0% ER, the ratios of relative risks of heat exposure were 2.32 (95% CI = 1.41, 3.82) for HIAT and 0.95 (95% CI = 0.75, 1.22) for mortality. Conclusions: A 20% ER was associated with a two-fold greater risk of HIAT because of summer heat during the power outage, but there was little evidence for the association with all-cause mortality.

Adolescent Mental Health and Resilience Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: We aimed to assess levels of depression, anxiety, and resilience factors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a school sample of adolescents. We also aimed to examine the compensatory and protective effects of individual, family, and school resilience factors on adolescent mental health. METHODS: We used fall 2019 and fall 2020 survey responses from a cluster randomized controlled trial implemented in 20 schools in a Midwestern county. The sample consisted of 3,085 responses from students in grades 5 and 6. Multilevel mixed-effects models with cluster robust standard errors were used to investigate the associations between exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health (anxiety, depression), and resilience factors (future orientation, family engagement, and having a caring school adult). RESULTS: Anxiety, but not depression, was higher in fall 2020 compared to fall 2019. Family engagement increased during the pandemic, while future orientation of the student body was lower during that time and the prevalence of having a caring adult at school was unchanged. A positive future orientation was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression, while having a caring school adult was associated with lower depression. Adolescents with less positive future orientations, low family engagement, and no caring school adults experienced the greatest increases in anxiety. DISCUSSION: Positive future orientations, family engagement, and supportive nonparental adult relationships had compensatory and protective effects on adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding these measures to the inventory of modifiable resilience factors during natural disasters may promote healthy adaptation among adolescents.

Natural disasters, deforestation, and emissions affect economic growth in Somalia.

This study ascertains the effect of natural disasters, deforestation, and emissions on economic growth in Somalia using annual time series spanning 1990-2018. Contrary to previous attempts, this study utilized the kernel regularized least squares (KRLS) technique, robust Granger causality in the presence of instabilities, and novel supremum right-tail Augment Dickey-Fuller unit root to test explosive behaviors in data series. While two date-stamped explosive behaviors are detected in economic growth (2003-2012, 2014-2016) and FDI (2004, 2016-2018), one explosive behavior is observed in capital formation (2010-2018) and population density (2010-2018). Moreover, time-varying granger causalities among sampled variables are observed. The empirical results show natural disasters and deforestation significantly undermine economic growth, whereas GHG emissions stimulate economic growth. Besides, while GHG emissions have increasing marginal effects, natural disasters and deforestation have decreasing marginal effects. The marginal effect of the interaction between natural disasters and temperature change is close to zero, implying that temperature changes do not mediate the disaster-growth nexus. Nevertheless, the study underscores the need for the implementation of environmental and economic policy reforms related to natural disaster preparedness, eliminating deforestation for charcoal exports while implementing a paradigm shift from domestic charcoal and firewood energy consumption to clean and renewable energy.