This JPB Environmental Health Fellowship Program funded project explores how major hurricanes—like María and Fiona—disrupted access to food, energy, and water in Puerto Rico, and how these disruptions affected the mental health of residents. While the physical impacts of climate disasters are well-known, their emotional and psychological toll—especially through loss of basic needs—has received far less attention.

This phase of the FEWtures project investigates how disruptions to food, water, and electricity during and after climate-related disasters affect the mental health and well-being of people in Puerto Rico. Building on insights from earlier qualitative research, this phase uses a household survey to collect data from a broad cross-section of residents across the island.

Sponsored by The Ohio State University Sustainability Institute project, led by P.I. Dr. Smitha Rao and Co-PI Dr. Anais Roque, explores how climate-related disasters—like hurricanes and severe storms—disrupt electricity systems and impact public health, particularly in communities that are already socially and economically vulnerable. Focusing on the U.S. Gulf Coast, the research looks at where, how long, and to whom power outages happen after disasters, and how those disruptions are linked to poor health outcomes, including mortality.

Public perception literature suggests that water reuse adoption and implementation require engaging with communities and working to identify design options that best address the unique needs of local populations. Through systematic literature review, interviews with communication specialists, and regional workshops, we aim to advance this area of the literature and develop translational science products, including a co-produced assessment toolkit for community engagement approaches.