Research and Commentaries

Usable, practical reports and commentaries to support the resilience of U.S. Gulf Coast communities

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Publications

Researchers at RAND and partner organizations have published numerous reports and journal articles with support from the consortium.

Sep 12, 2025

Disrupted and Disconnected Post Disaster: Associations Between the Social and Built Environment and Loneliness During COVID-19 in a U.S. Gulf Coast Sample

This study examined how social-built environmental factors were associated with pandemic-related disruptions and loneliness among respondents from the third wave of the Survey of Trauma, Resilience, and Opportunity among Neighborhoods in the Gulf.
Jul 21, 2023

Aging and Emotional Well-Being After Disasters: Vulnerability and Resilience

We investigated age differences in well-being among U.S. Gulf Coast-residing adults. Older age was associated with fewer depression and PTSD symptoms, and this association was stronger for those who experienced hurricane-related adversities.
Feb 1, 2023

Resilience in the Bayou

This film tells the story of how two organizations are supporting local communities in understanding, withstanding, and overcoming the multiple stressors brought on by the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Feb 1, 2023

Human Health and Socioeconomic Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the only declared Spill of National Significance in U.S. history, and it significantly impacted the health of people and communities in the Gulf of Mexico region.
Feb 1, 2023

How Disasters Drive Media Channel Preferences: Tracing News Consumption Before, During, and After Hurricane Harvey

Understanding public media channel preferences can inform preparedness plans, response strategies, and long-term recovery.
Jan 25, 2023

Disaster Experience, Social Capitals, and Behavioral Health

The goal of this study is to assess the relationships between different forms of social capital (community engagement, trust, and social support) on different behavioral health indicators (depression, anxiety, and alcohol misuse).
Dec 15, 2021

Health Disparities in the U.S. Gulf Coast: The Interplay of Environmental Disaster, Material Loss, and Residential Segregation

We study the interrelationships between health, residential segregation, and disaster-related material losses (income loss, job loss, economic/property damages) due to the worst ever man-made disaster of its kind, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Jul 6, 2020

Building Community Resilience to Large Oil Spills: Findings and Recommendations from a Synthesis of Research on the Mental Health, Economic, and Community Distress Associated with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

In this report, the authors explore how communities, government officials, nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and scientists can build community resilience to large oil spills.
Sep 16, 2020

Advancing Community Resilience Research and Practice: Moving from "Me" to "We" to "3d"

In this article, we provide a rationale for moving research and practice towards an adaptive systems framework, drawing on the cascading challenges that Gulf of Mexico coastal communities have endured since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill disaster.
Sep 16, 2020

Fishing Households, Social Support, and Depression After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on mental health in the aftermath of disasters by examining depressive symptoms among residents of the U.S. Gulf Coast region six years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Sep 16, 2020

Persistent Risk-Related Worry as a Function of Recalled Exposure to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Prior Trauma

This study examined the nature and predictors of worry about ongoing impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DH) oil spill reported by Gulf of Mexico coastal residents.
Sep 16, 2020

Oil Spill Disruption and Problem Drinking: Assessing the Impact of Religious Context Among Gulf Coast Residents

This study employs multilevel analysis to examine the impact of religious context on alcohol misuse among individuals impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
May 19, 2020

Natech or Natural? An Analysis of Hazard Perceptions, Institutional Trust, and Future Storm Worry Following Hurricane Harvey

The present study examined the relationships hazard perceptions had with institutional trust and future storm worry following Hurricane Harvey.
Feb 10, 2020

The Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Spill on Commercial Blue Crab Landings

Examines the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on landings, revenues, and effort in the commercial blue crab fishery.
Sep 16, 2020

Exposure to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Associated Resource Loss, and Long-Term Mental and Behavioral Outcomes

The aim of this study was to assess the long-term mental and behavioral health outcomes of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill of residents in the Gulf Coast and to identify populations that may be particularly vulnerable to future disasters.
Aug 21, 2019

Reaching Vulnerable Populations in the Disaster-Prone US Gulf Coast: Communicating Across the Crisis Lifecycle

This article discusses results from a 2016 survey of Gulf Coast residents to explore potential vulnerabilities and resilience-building capacities in the region.
Oct 23, 2018

Survey of Trauma, Resilience, and Opportunity Among Neighborhoods in the Gulf (STRONG) Codebook

This report describes the measures in the Survey of Trauma, Resilience, and Opportunity Among Neighborhoods in the Gulf (STRONG), which assesses the health and well-being of Gulf Coast residents five years after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Oct 24, 2018

Behavioral Health of Gulf Coast Residents 6 Years After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: The Role of Trauma History

The study emphasizes the importance of measuring and considering not only the index event in disaster-related mental health work, but also other potentially traumatic exposures.
Aug 1, 2017

Resilience Dividend Valuation Model: Framework Development and Initial Case Studies

This report describes the development of the Resilience Dividend Valuation Model, a complementary framework designed to help communities estimate the resilience dividend from resilience projects or investment.
Jan 7, 2017

Estimating the Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Fisheries Landings: A Preliminary Exploration

Reports results from an ex-post analysis of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill using publicly available, routinely collected data on landings, revenues, and fishing effort for select fish species in the Gulf.

Research by Partner Organizations

Estilla S. Lightfoot, Amy E. Lesen, Regardt J. Ferreira. 2020. "Gender and resilience in Gulf Coast communities: Risk and protective factors following a technological disaster" International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Volume 50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101716

Jessica L. Liddell, Leia Y. Saltzman, Regardt J. Ferreira, Amy E. Lesen. 2020. "Cumulative disaster exposure, gender and the protective action decision model" Progress in Disaster Science, Volume 5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdisas.2019.100042

Lesen, Amy E., Chloe Tucker, M. G. Olson, and Regardt J. Ferreira. 2019. "‘Come Back at Us’: Reflections on Researcher-Community Partnerships during a Post-Oil Spill Gulf Coast Resilience Study" Social Sciences 8, no. 1: 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8010008

Patel, Megha M., Leia Y. Saltzman, Regardt J. Ferreira, and Amy E. Lesen. 2018. "Resilience: Examining the Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Gulf Coast Vietnamese American Community" Social Sciences 7, no. 10: 203. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7100203

Research and Commentaries

Publications

Disrupted and Disconnected Post Disaster: Associations Between the Social and Built Environment and Loneliness During COVID-19 in a U.S. Gulf Coast Sample

Aging and Emotional Well-Being After Disasters: Vulnerability and Resilience

Resilience in the Bayou

Human Health and Socioeconomic Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

How Disasters Drive Media Channel Preferences: Tracing News Consumption Before, During, and After Hurricane Harvey

Disaster Experience, Social Capitals, and Behavioral Health

Health Disparities in the U.S. Gulf Coast: The Interplay of Environmental Disaster, Material Loss, and Residential Segregation

Building Community Resilience to Large Oil Spills: Findings and Recommendations from a Synthesis of Research on the Mental Health, Economic, and Community Distress Associated with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Advancing Community Resilience Research and Practice: Moving from "Me" to "We" to "3d"

Fishing Households, Social Support, and Depression After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Persistent Risk-Related Worry as a Function of Recalled Exposure to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Prior Trauma

Oil Spill Disruption and Problem Drinking: Assessing the Impact of Religious Context Among Gulf Coast Residents

Natech or Natural? An Analysis of Hazard Perceptions, Institutional Trust, and Future Storm Worry Following Hurricane Harvey

The Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Spill on Commercial Blue Crab Landings

Exposure to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Associated Resource Loss, and Long-Term Mental and Behavioral Outcomes

Reaching Vulnerable Populations in the Disaster-Prone US Gulf Coast: Communicating Across the Crisis Lifecycle

Survey of Trauma, Resilience, and Opportunity Among Neighborhoods in the Gulf (STRONG) Codebook

Behavioral Health of Gulf Coast Residents 6 Years After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: The Role of Trauma History

Resilience Dividend Valuation Model: Framework Development and Initial Case Studies

Estimating the Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Fisheries Landings: A Preliminary Exploration

Research by Partner Organizations

Commentaries

Hurricane Ida Is Part of a Cycle of Disasters—Mitigating Their Impact Means Building Back Better

Stress Accumulates in Marginalized Communities, Generation After Generation

Overlapping Environmental Disasters Put a Strain on Gulf Communities

How to Rebuild After This Year's Hurricane Season? Invest in Resilience

What Hurricane Katrina Taught Us About Community Resilience

Hurricane Katrina: 10 Years After the Storm

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