Background: Stable housing is the cornerstone of effective psychiatric treatment, especially treatment for the most vulnerable and marginalized patients-those with schizophrenia. Hurricane Katrina was a disaster of epic proportions that uprooted an entire region. Some residents were temporarily dislocated, whereas others faced more permanent moves.
Methods: The purpose of this retrospective chart review was to examine the housing of schizophrenic patients treated at an area health system before and after Katrina. We sorted patients into 4 living arrangements: living alone, living with family, living in a supervised setting, and homeless.
Results: We reviewed 300 charts, and 69 patients met the inclusion criteria. Contrary to our initial assumptions, this population showed a marked degree of stability and cohesion: Nearly 90% had no disruption in their living configuration after the storm. This finding may in part be because nearly 75% lived with family, in addition to specific characteristics of the health system.
Conclusion: We believe that the results demonstrate the resiliency of the region and its people.
Keywords: Disasters; emergency shelter; housing; schizophrenia.