0152 Natural disaster experiences and their varying impact on sleep impairment

Abstract Introduction As rates and severity of natural disasters increase due to climate change, it is crucial to consider their effects on mental health. Among Hurricane Katrina survivors, stressors experienced following the Hurricane, including financial losses, were more robustly predictive of rates of PTSD than traumatic experiences occurring during the Hurricane (Galea et al., 2008). Because sleep disturbance is intimately associated with trauma exposure and has been implicated in the etiology of PTSD, we examined relationships between experiences during and after Hurricane Harvey (a historic storm that hit Texas in 2017) and sleep disturbance in sample of college students impacted by the storm. Methods Undergraduate students (N = 191, age: M = 21.25, SD = 3.14) at the University of Houston completed online surveys 6-8 months after Hurricane Harvey. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms were measured using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, excluding sleep items. Participants also reported on experiences/events during, immediately after, and in the weeks/months following the Hurricane. Total traumatic experiences during the Hurricane (e.g., thinking oneself or others would get hurt or die) and stressful experiences after the storm (e.g., losing power, damage to car or property) were calculated. Financial stress was examined as a unique predictor. Analyses controlled for total traumatic life events measured with the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. Results In a multiple linear regression model, we tested whether traumatic experiences during, stressors after, and financial stressors due to the Hurricane predicted global PSQI score, controlling for other traumatic life experiences and total PTS symptoms. The overall model was significant (R2 = 0.22, F (5,185) = 10.48, p < .000). Traumatic experiences during the Hurricane (B = 0.37, p = 0.04), but not stressors (B = 0.02, p = 0.87) or financial stress (B = -0.29, p = 0.67) following the Hurricane significantly predicted poor sleep quality at present. Conclusion Our findings suggest that among a sample of young adult college students impacted by Hurricane Harvey, traumatic experiences during the storm were the most robust predictor of sleep disturbance several months later even after accounting for PTS symptoms. Support (if any)