Multidimensional Losses and Mental Health of Older Adults in Puerto Rico in the Aftermath of Hurricane Mária

Natural disasters often deprive older adults of essential resources such as food, housing, and finances. Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico in 2017. This study examines the types of losses experienced by older adults and the association of these losses with mental health 2 years later. We conducted face-to-face interviews with 154 older adults between 2019 and 2020 and found that two-thirds suffered home damage, and 47% lost food. We used latent class analysis to identify three typologies of loss: home damage, displacement, and multi-loss. Older adults who experienced home damage reported better mental health outcomes compared to those in the multi-loss group. Our findings suggest that the types and configurations of post-disaster loss can have different long-term effects on mental health, emphasizing the importance of addressing both essential basic needs and other forms of loss in disaster recovery efforts.