JOHN: THE OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL FROM HURRICANE MILTON MAY NOT BE TELLING THE WHOLE STORY.

NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE LASTING DAMAGE FROM STORMS COULD RESULT IN THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL DEATHS IN FUTURE YEARS, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE IN SOCIETY.

SARAH KAPLAN IS A WASHINGTON POST CLIMATE AND SCIENCE REPORTER.

THIS SAYS ADDITIONAL DEATHS COULD BECAUSE BY HURRICANES 15 YEARS ON.

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

>> RESEARCHERS BASED IN CALIFORNIA DID AN ANALYSIS OF DEATH TOLLS IN STATES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS.

THEY LOOKED AT 500 TROPICAL CYCLONES.

THEY FOUND THIS CONSISTENT PATTERN OF EVERY TIME A HURRICANE HIT A STATE, THE DEATH RATES IN THE STATE OR HIGHER THAN BEFORE THE HURRICANE.

THIS IS THE KIND OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OFTEN USED TO IDENTIFY INITIAL SIGNALS THERE IS SOMETHING DANGEROUS HAPPENING IN PUBLIC HELP.

IT IS THE SAME METHODOLOGY RESEARCHERS INITIALLY USED TO REALIZE SMOKING WAS LINKED WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS.

WHAT THEY FIND IS AFTER A HURRICANE HITS, ESTATE MIGHT SEE - - A STATE MIGHT SEE BETWEEN 7000 AND 11,000 DEATHS FOR 15 YEARS AFTERWARDS BECAUSE OF THE DISRUPTION THE HURRICANE CAUSES TO THE HEALTH SYSTEM, THE ECONOMY, SOCIAL NETWORKS, AND TO MENTAL HEALTH.

JOHN: DID IT FIND THERE WERE GROUPS OF PEOPLE PARTICULARLY BADLY AFFECTED BY THIS?

>> I WAS TALKING TO ONE FIRST RESPONDER WHO SET A RULE OF THUMB IN DISASTERS IS THE PERSON MOST VULNERABLE AFTER A STORM IS THE SAME AS THE PERSON MOST VULNERABLE BEFORE A STORM.

ALL OF THE INEQUALITIES WE KNOW EXIST IN OUR SOCIETY PLAY OUT AND GET EXACERBATED BY A HURRICANE.

THEY FOUND ABOUT HALF OF THE EXCESS DEATHS WERE AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 65.

THE MOST DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF HURRICANES WAS ON INFANTS UNDER THE AGE OF ONE.

EVEN BABIES THAT WERE NOT BORN BEFORE THE STORM HIT WERE MORE LIKELY TO DIE AND EXPECTEDLY AFTER THE STORM.

THOSE BABIES MIGHT BE BORN INTO FAMILIES THAT HAVE MORE STRESS, LESS FINANCIAL RESOURCES, LESS ABILITY TO ACCESS PRENATAL CARE AND POSTNATAL CARE, LESS ABILITY TO BUY FOOD OR FORMULA, SO THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO SEE THE KINDS OF ILLNESSES THAT CAN LEAD TO INFANT MORTALITY.

ONE OF THE OTHER STRIKING FINDINGS WAS THERE WAS A PRETTY BIG RACIAL DISPARITY IN HOW THIS PLAYED OUT.

RESEARCHERS FOUND INDIRECT DEATHS AMONG BLACK AMERICANS WAS THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN AMONG WHITE AMERICANS WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME STORM.

THAT SUGGESTS TO THEM THE UNEQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND SUPPORT THAT WE KNOW EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY IS PLAYING OUT DURING A HURRICANE AS WELL.

JOHN: YOU SAY RESEARCHERS RULED OUT OTHER FACTORS.

SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE STORMS ARE BECOMING MORE INTENSE.

BUT THEIR RESEARCH GOES WAY BACK.

>> THEY WENT ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1930 AND FOUND THE EXCESS INDIRECT DEATHS OCCURRED AFTER EVERY STORM.

THE ONCE 100 YEARS AGO AND THE ONES HAPPENING NOW.

THEY DO FIND AN INDICATION THE NUMBER IS INCREASING THE PRIMATE RECENT -- IS INCREASING.

THE PRIMARY REASON IS PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE AREAS HAS INCREASED.

FLORIDA IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING STATES.

IF YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE, THAT IS MORE PEOPLE IN HARM'S WAY.

JOHN: WHAT DOES THIS SUGGEST ABOUT THE WAY OUR COUNTRY RESPONSE TO NATURAL DISASTERS?

>> THE RESEARCHERS SPOKE TO SAID THIS HIGHLIGHTS A NEED FOR MORE INTERVENTIONS AND MORE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL SUPPORT AFTER A HURRICANE HAPPENS.

THESE DEATHS ARE NOT HAPPENING BECAUSE SOMEONE GOT CAUGHT UP IN FLOODWATERS OR A TREE FELL ON A HOUSE.

THEY ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE KIND OF CARE AND SOCIAL SAFETY NET THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD BEFORE THE HURRICANE OCCURRED, OR MAYBE THAT SOCIAL SAFETY NET NEVER EXISTED.

WITHOUT THAT EXTRA STABILITY THAT IS TAKEN AWAY BY THE HURRICANE, PEOPLE START TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

RESEARCHERS TOLD ME THEY THINK THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS.

GOING OUT AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES ARE ABLE TO GET TO THE DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS THEY NEED.

THEY SAID IT SHOWS THE NEED FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES TO ENSURE THAT THEIR KIDS ARE GETTING THE FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE THEY NEED, THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT THEY NEED.

RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEMS WE HAVE GO AWAY A FEW MONTHS AFTER A STORM OCCURS.

PEOPLE ABLE TO ACCESS FOOD ASSISTANCE OR HELP LIKE FREE MENTAL HEALTH CARE THROUGH FEMA FOR A FEW MONTHS BUT THIS RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE TRAUMA LAST MUCH LONGER AND PEOPLE WILL NEED THAT SUPPORT FOR MUCH LONGER.

JOHN VERY SOBERING RESEARCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

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