Social capital and disaster preparedness among low income Mexican Americans in a disaster prone area

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 83; pp. 50 - 60
• Main Authors: Reininger, Belinda M., Rahbar, Mohammad H., Lee, MinJae, Chen, Zhongxue, Alam, Sartaj R., Pope, Jennifer, Adams, Barbara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2013; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cultural Capital; Demographics; Disaster; Disaster Planning - statistics & numerical data; Disaster Preparedness; Disasters; Emergency preparedness; Equity; Fairness; Female; Households; Humans; Low Income Groups; Low-income; Male; Medical sciences; Membership; Mexican Americans; Mexican Americans - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Poverty; Poverty - ethnology; Preparedness; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Reciprocity; Social capital; Social Support; Socioeconomic factors; Texas; Trust; Young Adult; Texas; Mexican Americans; Low-income; Preparedness; Disaster; Trust; Social capital; Fairness; Human; Socioeconomic status; Personal income; Income; Authorized capital; Latinamerican; Disaster medicine; Teaching; Preparation; Dragging; Social medicine; Public health
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.01.037

Examination of social capital and its relationship to disaster preparedness has grown in prominence partially due to world-wide need to effectively respond to terrorist attacks, viral epidemics, or natural disasters. Recent studies suggested that social capital may be related to a community's ability to plan for and respond to such disasters. Few studies, however, have examined social capital constructs among low income populations living in disaster prone areas and accounted for the influence of social capital at the individual and community level. We examined social capital as measured by perceived fairness, perceived civic trust, perceived reciprocity and group membership. We undertook a multistage random cluster survey in three coastal counties in Texas (U.S.) noted for their high levels of poverty. Individuals from 3088 households provided data on social capital, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and self-reported level of preparedness for a hurricane. We used multivariable logistic regression to test potential associations between social capital measures and disaster preparedness. After adjusting for age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, education, employment, household income, acculturation, self-reported health, special needs persons in household, household size, and distance to the shore we found a higher prevalence of preparedness among individuals who reported the highest perception of fairness [AOR = 3.12, 95% CI: (1.86, 5.21)] compared to those individuals who reported lowest perceptions of fairness. We also found a higher prevalence of preparedness [AOR = 2.06; 95% CI: (1.17, 3.62)] among individuals who reported highest perceptions of trust compared to individuals who reported lowest perceptions of trust. Perceived reciprocity and group membership were not associated with preparedness. These results extend previous findings on social capital and disaster preparedness and further characterize social capital's presence among a low income population living in a hurricane prone area. ► Among a sample comprised primarily of Mexican Americans, only 59% reported preparedness for a hurricane. ► Two of four social capital constructs are associated with level of preparedness for a hurricane. ► We found higher prevalence of preparedness among individuals who reported the highest perceptions of fairness. ► We found higher prevalence of preparedness among individuals who reported the highest perceptions of trust.