As extreme weather events become more pervasive due to climate change, identifying populations with lower access to resources becomes critical for timely mitigation efforts. Here we analyzed data from a survey conducted in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida to investigate demographic and housing characteristics of those vulnerable to home damage, flooding, and mold exposure after an extreme weather event.

The survey participants comprised a convenience sample of 167 total respondents, most of whom resided in the Greater New Orleans Area. Sociodemographic, housing, and geographic factors were considered that described the population reporting home damage, flooding, and/or mold due to Hurricane Ida compared with those who did not experience these outcomes from Hurricane Ida.

Sociodemographic and housing factors predicting adverse impact from Hurricane Ida included race, retirement status, educational attainment, Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), type of home, and homeownership status. Of note, those whose homes had flooded prior to Ida had significantly higher odds of reporting home damage with Ida.

Of all the sociodemographic factors associated with Hurricane Ida damage including flooding and mold, a greater level of the SVI was most consistent and often had the strongest associations with these adverse outcomes. A public health focus on neighborhoods with higher SVI could help lead to strategies to mitigate and prevent exposure in future flood events.