Katie E. Cherry

Natural disasters, including hurricanes and flooding can seriously damage infrastructure and communities with lasting psychosocial consequences for survivors of these events. The negative impacts o...

We examined associations among resilience characteristics, risk factors, and self-reported functional impairment using archival data from persons exposed to the 2016 flooding in Baton Rouge, LA. Three flood exposure groups were compared: non-flooded (controls), single disaster (flooded in 2016), and double disaster (flooded in 2005 and again in 2016). The Barkley Functional Impairment Scale (BFIS), a self-report measure of daily functioning, was the primary outcome measure. The single disaster group reported more problems in daily functioning than did the non-flooded controls. Correlations revealed that older age was associated with greater resilience and fewer risk characteristics. Regression analyses confirmed that age, resilience, and hope were associated with greater daily functioning after key sociodemographic factors and risk variables were accounted for. Strategies for managing the long-term impacts of multiple disasters for people who live in geographic areas that are prone to severe weather events are discussed.

Numerous studies document age-related declines in memory using laboratory-based measures, yet little research exists on what older people might have to say about their memory in daily life. The present research examined how age-related memory changes are perceived, managed, remediated, and feared among 50 very old adults. Participants answered nine open-ended questions that tapped four complementary dimensions: memory self-efficacy, memory management, memory remediation, and fears about memory aging. Their oral responses were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative analyses were carried out on their narrative responses. Results yielded 4 core themes: (1) memory self-efficacy perceptions favored prospective remembering, (2) memory management strategies included frequent use of external memory aids , (3) affective consequences of forgetting concerned violated social conventions with improvement desired for remembering people's names , and (4) neurocognitive decline and loss of independence were salient memory-related fears. Implications of these data for promoting cognitive vitality in later life are discussed.

Hurricane Laura made landfall in southwestern Louisiana in August 2020 while the world was several months into the COVID-19 pandemic. In the present research, we examined pandemic precautionary behaviors in a sample of adults who varied in exposure and damage due to Hurricane Laura, a destructive Category 4 hurricane. A total of 127 participants responded to an online survey that assessed pandemic worry and precautionary behaviors, hurricane exposure and damage, and health-related quality of life. We found that Hurricane Laura victims neglected pandemic precautionary behaviors at significantly higher levels in the weeks immediately following Hurricane Laura than did indirectly impacted control participants, although the two comparison groups did not differ in COVID-19 worry or adherence to precautionary pandemic behavior 14–22 months after Hurricane Laura made landfall. Older age was negatively correlated with COVID-19 worry prior to Hurricane Laura, which was unexpected given that older people in general were more vulnerable to COVID-19 by their membership in a high-risk group. Future directions for research on post-disaster vulnerabilities during a global pandemic are discussed.

Severe weather events have mental health consequences for survivors that may change over time. We assessed post-flood mental health longitudinally in three groups of mostly middle-aged and older ad...

Substance use is a perennial public health concern with associated health risks and economic impacts on society. In this article, we present a selective review of the epidemiological and clinical literatures on alcohol and substance use from a lifespan developmental perspective. We compare and contrast risk factors for the initiation of use and the development of a substance use disorder in adolescence, young adulthood, middle-age and later life. During adolescence, alcohol use experimentation is at its peak. Specific risk factors have been identified including trauma and parenting style that can increase the risk of substance use for teenagers. Emerging adults and college students are likely to experiment with other substances in addition to alcohol such as nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, and prescription medication such as Adderall. Middle-age and older adults with alcohol and substance use in their developmental histories may have an undiagnosed alcohol use disorder. Others will develop a late-onset substance use disorder in older age, possibly due to a dearth of social support, coping with bereavement, and medical complication. Based on Social Cognitive Theory, the roles of expectancies and self-efficacy are hypothesized to impact substance use and the risk of substance use disorder across the lifespan. Implications of the present review for future research on age-specific risk factors in alcohol use in relation to underlying developmental processes are considered.

Physical activity has well-known benefits for older adults’ mood and cognitive functioning; however, it is not clear whether risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) affect the relationships of physical activity with these health outcomes among diverse older adults. This study investigated the impact of CVD risk burden on the relationships among self-reported physical activity, mood, and cognitive functioning in a diverse sample of 62 adults age 45 and older. We found that higher physical activity was associated with better attention and verbal working memory at lower CVD risk, but with worse attention and verbal working memory at higher CVD risk levels. Thus, higher CVD risk might limit the effectiveness of exercise interventions for mood and cognitive functioning. Future studies are needed to further clarify individual differences that impact the relationships among physical activity, CVD risk, and cognitive outcomes.