???? Long-term health consequences of hurricanes

Excerpt from our October Newsletter. To get this free report every month, sign up here.

A month after Hurricane Helene our thoughts remain with our beloved harm reduction programs in western North Carolina.

Coincidentally, in between Hurricanes Helena and Milton, the paper below was published after being under review for 17 months. Using data going back to 1930, this sophisticated econometric analysis found was that impact of hurricanes (“tropical cyclones” or TCs) are felt over generations. While direct immediate mortality numbers may be in the dozens, unexplained excess mortality is 7,000 to 11,000?per storm. The figure at the top of this newsletter and quote below are from?the paper?by Rachel Young Rachel Young & Solomon Hsiang

impacts of TCs might affect human health through complex chains of events that separate the cause (cyclone) from the delayed effect (mortality) so much that affected individuals are themselves unaware that a TC influenced their own health outcome. For example, individuals may use retirement savings to repair damage, reducing future healthcare spending to compensate; family members might move away, removing critical support when something unexpected occurs years later; or public budgets may change to meet the immediate post-TC needs of a community, reducing investments that would otherwise support long-run health.

We also learned that “tropical cyclones” = hurricanes + tropical storms. But in the South we just call 'em?storms.

What are the implications for us right now? A monthly pledge to donate is more important than material donations and immediate cash. Harm reduction has always been underfunded, and the depth of devastation reflects this lack of investment.

??? Wanna hear directly from affected programs??This recorded webinar?hosted by?CEG?had most of the WNC harm reduction and assisting programs.

Program staff have been doing so much to help their participants!! Programs need grant-level financial support to pay for overtime, which won’t even cover the actual hours people are putting in. Everyone is exhausted, patience wears thin, because?trauma. Healthy boundaries get blurred at the expense of service, especially with Gen Z and Millennial workers putting in long physically grueling hours. Everything feels expensive right now, as programs replace sundries like fire extinguishers and clothes and furniture and basic hardware. Supplies are still being delivered and recovery operations conducted on horseback! SO, link below to donate. Do a monthly pledge. Please.

https://opioiddatalab.ghost.io/how-to-help-asheville-nc-now/

And if any of y’all know what could help in Ashe, Avery, Mitchell and Watagua counties, please tell us. The northern NC part of the Blue Ridge Mountains (hours north of Asheville) was extra-devastated, but there is still very little contact. We respect their privacy and stoicism and self-sufficiency and grief. But we know it's bad in spots up there. If y'all need anything, holler at us.