Study on how older people are impacted by natural disastersHelpAge International – JamaicaDisaster Risk Reduction of Vulnerable Populations Presentation of findings

Prepared by: Tracey Edwards, Kerry-Ann Thompson (Research consultants)

Background to the study

´ Outcome of the HelpAge International/USAID Funded Disaster Risk Reduction of Vulnerable Populations in Jamaica

´ Study was conducted over a two month period, August to September 2015

´ Report is sill be developed

´ Study conducted by independent consultants contracted to HAI Jamaica for the period

Parish Portland Frequency St. Elizabeth FrequencyCommunities Spring Hill

Fruitful Vale Bangor Ridge

53 (14.2%)69 (18.5%)40 (10.8%)

HollandBigwoodsSouthfield

60 (16.1%)30 (8.1%)120 (32.3%)

Aim of the study:To document the experiences and perspectives of older people affected by natural disasters, in order to understand the vulnerabilities and capacities of this age group at different stages of the disaster cycle.

Information gathered from the study will be used as an advocacy tool in promoting changes in those critical systems that are of importance to the well-being of this group

Methodology

´ Random Sampling (10%) of the total population of older people, where the sample size fell below the expected sample 100 percent of the population of older people in the community was sampled

Data collection Expected Actual

Direct interviews with beneficiaries

400 372

Interviews with key informants

12 11

Focus group interviews 3 3

Analysis was carried out using Frequency distribution and Chi (☓2) for quantitative analysis (structured questionnaire)

NVIVO was used for analysis and coding of qualitative data (key informants and focus group interviews)

Sample distribution by parish

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Portland St Elizabeth Total

Sample distribution by parish

percent frequency

Sample distribution of study site by age

87

77

71

50

2825

19 31

Frequency Distribution of sample by age

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85-89

90-94

95-99

>/=100

Findings of the Study: Ownership of assetsGender association Frequency distribution

Findings of the study: Housing Conditions

Frequency distribution -Housing condition

Housing condition based on home ownership

Findings: Frequency distribution on health status of older people

Findings: Health Status and mobility

Age association with general health and mobility

Frequency distribution on general health of older people

Findings: Social/family association

Gender distribution Age distribution

Findings: Frequency distribution of economic source by gender and age

Gender distribution Age distribution

Findings: Livelihood source and distribution by geography

Main livelihood sources Livelihood source by community

Findings: Monthly income distribution by gender and age

Gender distribution Age distribution

Findings: Group association, distributed by gender and ageGender distribution Age distribution

Vulnerability: Level of preparedness

Findings: Access to Key services by Community

Access to postal services/pension

Water resource distribution by community

Findings: Access to pension services distributed by parish and community

Degree of access to health by community

Degree of access to pension by community

Findings: Vulnerability based on exposure

Relationship between exposure to hazard and gender

Degree of exposure to select hazard by location

Findings: Hazard with the highest degree of threat based on readiness

Hazard with highest level of threat by gender

Hazard with highest threat by parish

Natural Hazard Impact on Vulnerable Older People

Frequency distribution and cross tab analysis based on Chi

Findings: Distribution of hazard impact by gender and geography

Hazard impact by gender Hazard impact by

community

Findings: Distribution of post disaster economic trends

Disaster as economic driver indicated by gender

Disaster as economic driver-indicated by age

Findings: Post disaster-impact on health

Disaster impact on health as indicated by gender

Disaster impact on health as indicated by age

Findings: Post disaster impact trends on socializationGender association post disaster

Association by age post disaster

Post Disaster Impact on older people

Findings: Long term effects on recovery based on impact

Gender distribution Age distribution

Findings: Mental wellbeing and recovery post disaster

Disaster impact on recovery and mental health by Gender

Disaster impact on recovery and mental health by age

Findings: Recommendation for intervention response distribution by gender

Summary of Key Findings

Summary of key findings: HealthHealth findings Health findings

q 72% of older persons surveyed suffer from some form of illness• High blood pressure, vision, breathing and hearing problems, arthritis, and headaches were most frequently reported

q A high percentage of respondents from Bangor Ridge and Spring Hill in Portland and Big Woods and Holland in St. Elizabeth find health services difficult to access

q Post-disaster health impacts most frequently reported include new or worsened physical conditions: diarrhoea, high blood pressure, vision problems, headaches and arthritis; and mental conditions: feelings of depression and anxiety, worry and hopelessness

q Health issues significantly affects respondents’ ability to prepare for disaster

q Access to health care services decline significantly after a disaster, with over 40% of respondents reporting that they take more than a month to resume

q Mobility issues are most strongly reported amongst the 80-89 age group. •

Amongst the moderately to severely frail, more than 75% of respondents are over 70 years of age

Summary of key findings: Livelihoods

Livelihood findings Livelihood findings

q 33.9% of respondents are engaged in some form of farming

q Farming forms the highest source of income, and is the only substantial “earned livelihood”

q A higher percentage of farmers earn the lowest two income brackets compared to non-farmers, a higher percentage of whom earned higher than JMD 15000 per month (25.3% of non-farmers versus 12.5% of farmers).

q 51.65% of farmers are male, and 48.35% are female

q In Portland, farmers were the only ones to cite fire as another major hazard, and 48% percent of those citing landslides as a major hazard were farmers

q 23.23% of farmers live in poor or worse housing

q The drought conditions of 2014 and 2015 have been particularly hard on farmers. The drought conditions have brought reduced rainfall, and water lock-offs, which has resulting the dying-off of crops.

q . Farmers generally report better mobility and lower frailty than non-farmers

q Farmers generally indicate that they can move very well without obstacles; only 7.07% of farmer reported needing assistance to get around, compared to 17.55% of non-farmers. 12.77% of farmers indicate that they are apparently vulnerable to severely frail, compared to 22.98% of non-farmers

Summary of key findings: living alone

Findings: living alone Findings: Living aloneq 21.4% of older persons

surveyed in St. Elizabeth live alone while 29% of persons in Portland live alone

q Among those who live alone cited inability to prepare on their own (30%), requiring assistance to protect their home (17.5%), and financial need (17.5%) as reasons for requiring assistance for preparation for hazards.

q A higher proportion of females than males lived within someone else in both St. Elizabeth and Portland, whereas a higher proportion of males than females lived alone

q Persons who lived with someone were less likely to have feelings of loneliness (Table E.4) than those who lived alone

q A higher percentage of of persons who live alone have reported health conditions (Table E.2) and mobility issues

q In St. Elizabeth, more than half (50.7%) of those who live with someone else indicated that they felt lonely at times: In Portland, 32% of those who live with someone and feel lonely at times is also notable (32%).

Summary of Key findings: Housing Condition

Findings: housing conditions Findings: housing conditionsq Housing Condition was most frequently cited

as a vulnerability factor of older persons amongst stakeholders interviewed (Council for the Elderly; Health; SDC St. Elizabeth; ODPEM; Parish Council)

q Income is a significant determinant of housing condition in St. Elizabeth, but not Portland

q Poor to very Poor housing is associated with 24.2% of persons surveyed living in Portland, versus 10.4% of persons of persons surveyed in St Elizabeth

q Southfield, St Elizabeth had by far the highest percentage of housing stock in good or very good condition (69.3%)

q The majority of the St Elizabeth persons living in very poor housing were earning the less than JMD 5000.00 per month range (63.6%)

q Bangor Ridge had the highest percentage of Poor to Very Poor housing (28.8%)

q St. Elizabeth has much higher percentage of homes made of concrete (72.9%) than Portland (46.3%)

q In Portland, 80% of older people surveyed live in some form of exposed area, whereas in St. Elizabeth, 63.3% of persons lived in some form of exposed area

Contributors to the study

Study conducted by

Kerry-Ann Thompson Tracey Edwards

Quantitativedata collection conducted by

PortlandCommunity volunteers

St. ElizabethCommunity volunteers

Key informants Portland1. Parish Council2. Parish Disaster Coordinator

(ODPEM)3. Port Antonio Health CentreKingston:4. Mona Ageing and Wellness Centre5. National Council for Senior Citizens6. Planning Institute of Jamaica7. Office of Disaster Preparedness

and Emergency Management

St. Elizabeth8. Social Development Commission (Santa

Cruz)9. Poor Relief Kingston:10. Ministry of Labour and Social Security

(MLSS)11. Ministry of Local Government and

Community Development (Board of Supervision

Focus group interviews

Farmers group (Fruitful Vale)Older males (Bangor Ridge)

Older Females (Bigwoods)

Thank you