Parent-Child Relationship Quality and Gender as Moderators of the Influence of Hurricane Exposure on Physical Health among Children and Youth

Abstract

Objective To investigate the long-term influence of disaster exposure, parent-child relationship quality (PCRQ), and gender on child and youth physical health. Methods Parent-child dyads (N = 1,886) were randomly selected and interviewed approximately 18 months after Hurricane Georges hit Puerto Rico (1998), and reinterviewed 12 months later. The outcome variables were parent report of a global rating of children's physical health, and frequency of medical problems and medical visits in the past year. Results Conservative analyses that accounted for a host of postdisaster health-relevant factors showed that hurricane exposure exerted detrimental influence on physical health at both 18 and 30 months after the event. The moderating role of PCRQ in the relation between hurricane exposure and physical health varied by gender. Conclusion Disasters have long-term potential to influence the physical health of children and adolescents. PCRQ serves as resource but its role in the context of disasters is complex.