Predisposition, Comorbidity, and Enabling Factors for Disaster Mental-Health Service Use

We conducted a three-wave population-based study of Hurricane Ike survivors in which we explored predisposing (e.g., age), illness-related (e.g., posttraumatic stress) and enabling (e.g., insurance coverage) factors as predictors of each type of barrier. Preference barriers (indirectly social) were most frequently cited at each wave, whereas stigma barriers (directly social) were least frequently cited. Postdisaster practices should target subpopulations most likely to have barriers to service.