This project will investigate health and nutritional status in three hurricane-affected areas of Honduras. It will focus on how those involved in reconstruction after a major disaster cope with sickness and healing, examining variation between several sites. It is hypothesized that health and nutritional status will be worse in large urban resettlement areas than in affected zones of a small, regional city ("urban disadvantage"); it is anticipated that this will persist despite greater investment in the larger zone in reconstruction resources. It is also hypothesized that local and household food security directly shape overall health and nutritional status. Relationships between health status and household income, demographic factors, educational levels, and hygiene will also be tested. Methods include participant observation, household surveys, and the collection of anthropometric and epidemiological data from sample households. The project will contribute to our understanding of the various forces that shape disaster recovery and public health after disasters.
