An individual feeling that they are in danger or thinking that they may die during a hurricane, even if there was no bodily harm.

Cleveland State University

Hurricane-related experiences that may be a source of psychological distress, and subsequently health risks, for mothers can be divided into categories based on when they occur; before, during, or after the storm:
- Evacuation-related stressors (before)
- Actual life-threatening events (during)
- Perceived life threat (during)
- Loss and disruption events (after)


Types of Hurricane-Related Exposures

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 

Evacuation- and Hurricane-Related Experiences, Emotional Distress, and
Their Associations With Mothers’ Health Risk Behaviors

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

Actual life-threatening events include incidents that could result in the death of a hurricane victim, such as being hit by a flying object during the storm.

Actual Life-Threatening Events During Hurricanes

Loss and disruption includes after effects of a hurricane, such as not being able to return home due to restrictions (disruption) or no longer having a physical home to return to (loss).

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