Mothers' depressive symptoms following evacuation-related distress and its subsequent impact on health risk behaviors may affect their children's health. Mothers’ sedentary behaviors are strongly associated with their children’s sedentary behaviors, which in turn contribute to obesity risk. Mothers' sleep difficulties are related to total sleep time and delayed sleep onset among their children.

Effect of Mothers' Health Risk Behaviors on their Children

Mothers of lower socioeconomic status (SES) experience greater evacuation- and hurricane-related stressors, posttraumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, and several health risk behaviors. Higher rates of health risk behaviors among lower SES mothers may be linked to greater morbidity and mortality.

Association Between Socioeconomic Status, Hurricane-Related Stressors, and Health Risk Behaviors

Mothers who endured evacuation-related stressors before a hurricane have been found to be significantly more likely to experience depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms compared to other categories, and more likely to engage in health risk behaviors, including:
- Smoking
- Sedentary behavior
- Trouble sleeping (falling and staying asleep)

Cleveland State University

For some disasters like hurricanes, what occurs before the storm can be critical for health and safety. Stressors may include deciding whether to evacuate, finding somewhere to go if evacuating, and separation from family members. Uncertainty before the event can threaten one's sense of safety.

Evacuation-Related Stressors

La Greca, A. M., Brodar, K. E., Tarlow, N., &amp; Burdette, E. (2022). Evacuation- and hurricane-related experiences, emotional distress, and their associations with mothers’ health risk behaviors. Health Psychology, 41(7), 443–454. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001202 

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