Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico was the entry point for when Hurricane Maria first made landfall in Puerto Rico, but aid was slow to be received being a coastal town. This study conducted by Ferré et al. sought to assess the cross-sectional community health needs and recovery conditions of the Punta Santiago population 6 months post-hurricane, looking particularly to assess the prevalence and severity of major depressive disorders, post-traumatic stress, and generalized anxiety. The results indicate that the economic disruption had not subsided. Household drinking water samples show signs of ongoing contamination that are unsafe for consumption, there was 10-50% prevalence of food insufficiency and subsistence upon food stamp, and many of the sampled households still displayed heightened signs of depressive disorders concerns.

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Ferré IM, Negrón S, Shultz JM, Schwartz SJ, Kossin JP, Pantin H. Hurricane Maria’s Impact on Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico: Community Needs and Mental Health Assessment Six Months Postimpact. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness. 2018 Nov 5:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2018.103