2025
Floods and cause-specific mortality in the United States applying a triply robust approach
Chu L, Warren J, Spatz E, Lowe S, Lu Y, Ma X, Ross J, Krumholz H, Chen K. Floods and cause-specific mortality in the United States applying a triply robust approach. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 2853. PMID: 40122917, PMCID: PMC11930965, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58236-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCDC's National Center for Health StatisticsNational Center for Health StatisticsCause-specific mortality ratesCenter for Health StatisticsCause-specific mortalityHealth impacts of floodingExcess all-cause deathsLong-term health risksFlood daysLong-term associationDeath recordsHealth StatisticsConfounder adjustmentExternal causesStorm Events DatabaseAll-cause deathHealth impactsImpact of floodsPropensity scorePost‐flood yearMortality rateMyocardial infarctionPost-floodContiguous U.S.Respiratory diseaseLong-Term Courses of Posttraumatic Growth in Survivors of Hurricane Katrina
Preston J, Lowe S, Rhodes J. Long-Term Courses of Posttraumatic Growth in Survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Traumatology An International Journal 2025, 31: 116-126. DOI: 10.1037/trm0000497.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPosttraumatic growthAssociated with membershipIncreased PTGDecreasing PTGPosttraumatic growth trajectoriesPerceived social supportIncreased odds of membershipOdds of membershipStressor scoresPositive religious copingPsychosocial resourcesSocial supportSense of purposeSmall body of literaturePredisaster dataLow-incomeIncreased oddsFactors associated with stabilityBlack mothersReligious copingClinical interventionsTrauma eventsNeighborhood satisfactionSurvivorsTrauma survivorsCumulative disaster exposure and hypertension among mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina
Meadows M, Desai M, Zacher M, Lowe S. Cumulative disaster exposure and hypertension among mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina. Environmental Research Health 2025, 3: 025005. PMID: 39968533, PMCID: PMC11831098, DOI: 10.1088/2752-5309/adb32c.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPsychological distressHurricane exposureAdverse physical health outcomesDisaster exposurePhysical health outcomesLow-income mothersImpact mental healthShort-term health impactsHurricane KatrinaExposure to hypertensionHealth outcomesChronic conditionsPhysical healthMental healthHypertension oddsHypertension riskIncreased oddsVulnerable populationsSurvey wavesLogistic regressionCumulative exposureHealth impactsPotential mediatorsExposure to hurricanesPost-KatrinaCross-cultural adaptation of mental health screening instruments for Samoan adolescents
Mew E, Lowe S, Galea’i A, Iopu F, Anderson J, Naseri J, Hunt L, Mulitalo-Cheung T, Fauolo-Manila O, Soliai-Lemusu S, Hawley N, McCutchan-Tofaeono J. Cross-cultural adaptation of mental health screening instruments for Samoan adolescents. PLOS Mental Health 2025, 2: e0000106. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000106.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental health screening instrumentCPSS-5Screening instrumentPTSD Symptom Scale-Self-ReportDeliberate Self-Harm QuestionnaireGeneralized Anxiety Disorder 7Measure symptoms of depressionSelf-injurious thoughtsSymptoms of depressionSamoan adolescentsPost-traumatic stressSelf-Harm QuestionnaireAvon Longitudinal Study of ParentsCross-cultural validityLongitudinal Study of ParentsMental health problemsAvon Longitudinal StudyStudy of ParentsGAD-7English language wordsAdolescent focus groupsMeasure symptomsMeasurement equivalenceSelf-reportFocus groupsMental Health After Mass Shootings: Research Findings and Clinical Considerations
Lowe S, Márquez-Greene N, Ranney M. Mental Health After Mass Shootings: Research Findings and Clinical Considerations. Journal Of Health Service Psychology 2025, 51: 5-13. DOI: 10.1007/s42843-025-00125-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental healthAdverse mental health outcomesMental health outcomesPsychological first aidMental health consequencesEvidence-based assessmentClinical case studyPoor mental healthLow symptomsMass shootingsHealth outcomesKey themesFirst aidClinical considerationsEmpirical literatureRisk factorsEthical challengesResearch findingsPTSDHealthPsychologyTherapistsMentalUnited StatesOutcomes
2024
Secondary Posttraumatic Growth in Children of Survivors of the 1994 Genocide: The Role of Childhood Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress, and Meaning-Making
Kshtriya S, Bonumwezi J, Habintwali D, Lowe S. Secondary Posttraumatic Growth in Children of Survivors of the 1994 Genocide: The Role of Childhood Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress, and Meaning-Making. Traumatology An International Journal 2024, 30: 637-646. DOI: 10.1037/trm0000487.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSecondary posttraumatic growthPosttraumatic growthPTS symptomsChildhood traumatic experiencesChildren of survivorsTraumatic experiencesParental posttraumatic stress symptomsPosttraumatic stress symptomsMeaning-making interventionsSignificant indirect pathwayPosttraumatic stressStress symptomsChild psychopathologyChildhood traumaLongitudinal researchPath analysisAdequate fitCurrent studyOnline surveyIndirect pathwaysChildrenStrong linkRwandan childrenSurvivor organizationsAbleism in mental healthcare settings: A qualitative study among U.S. adults with disabilities
Wang K, Ostrove J, Manning R, Fodero S, Ash S, Whang J, Bogart K, Cipollina R, Nario-Redmond M, Adler J, Lowe S. Ableism in mental healthcare settings: A qualitative study among U.S. adults with disabilities. SSM - Qualitative Research In Health 2024, 6: 100498. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100498.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental health servicesMental healthcare settingsHealth servicesHealthcare settingsU.S. adultsUnmet mental health serviceMental health researchMental health concernsReflexive thematic analysisImpact of disabilityExperiences of PWDSemi-structured interviewsAccessing careHealth researchEnvironmental barriersMental healthInterpersonal processesMedical traumaThematic analysisQualitative studyDisability knowledgeNondisabled counterpartsPWDHealth concernDisabilityBeyond the storms: Exploring predictors of posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth among survivors of hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico
Meadows M, Serino N, Camacho-Monclova D, Joshipura K, Lowe S. Beyond the storms: Exploring predictors of posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth among survivors of hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. The Journal Of Climate Change And Health 2024, 21: 100365. PMID: 40026672, PMCID: PMC11870674, DOI: 10.1016/j.joclim.2024.100365.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDisaster-related exposurePosttraumatic growth subscalesPosttraumatic growthAssociated with higher levelsPosttraumatic stressPosttraumatic growth domainsHealth impactsMental health outcomesAppreciation of lifeMental health ailmentsPredictors of posttraumatic stressHealth outcomesAssociated with greater identificationPuerto RicansDisaster exposureStructured interviewsPuerto Rican contextHome damageHigher levelsPuerto RicoMultivariate modelSpiritual growthDisaster-affected communitiesSocial factorsHealth ailmentsChildhood Trauma as a Mediator of Intergenerational PTSD Symptom Transmission in Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study
Huang A, Bonumwezi J, Wang K, Mew E, Habintwali D, Lowe S. Childhood Trauma as a Mediator of Intergenerational PTSD Symptom Transmission in Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal Of Loss And Trauma 2024, ahead-of-print: 1-24. DOI: 10.1080/15325024.2024.2422610.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPTSD symptomsChildhood traumaParental sexSexual abuseChildhood trauma subtypesMaternal PTSD symptomsCumulative childhood traumaHarsh parenting practicesIntergenerational traumaTrauma subtypesChildhood maltreatmentPhysical neglectParenting practicesPhysical abuseIntergenerational transmissionPTSDAbuseIndirect effectsAdult childrenSymptomsGenocide survivorsChildhoodCross-sectional studyOnline surveyParentsCommunity perspectives on adolescent mental health stigma in American Samoa
Blas V, Mew E, Winschel J, Hunt L, Soliai Lemusu S, Lowe S, Naseri J, Toelupe R, Hawley N, McCutchan-Tofaeono J. Community perspectives on adolescent mental health stigma in American Samoa. PLOS Mental Health 2024, 1: e0000080. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000080.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental health stigmaHealth stigmaSelf-stigma of mental illnessLevels of mental health stigmaMental illness-related stigmaMental health care accessIllness-related stigmaHealth care accessMental health burdenMental health servicesStigmatization of mental healthMental health needsSocio-ecological modelMental health challengesMental health concernsMental health stigmatizationOnline focus groupsAmerican SamoaCare accessSelf-stigmaPerceived stigmatizationHealth needsHealth servicesMental illnessMental healthPreliminary Development of the Climate and Racial Justice Scale
Musicaro R, Parnes M, Lowe S, Clayton S, Holder C, Schwartz S. Preliminary Development of the Climate and Racial Justice Scale. Environmental Justice 2024, 17: 328-336. DOI: 10.1089/env.2023.0025.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHuman rights issuesRights issuesBlack Lives MatterCommunities of colorPeople of colorJustice ScaleRacial justiceBlack Lives Matter activismClimate change concernsClimate concernsChange concernsAssociated with raceClimate changeGlobal crisisEnvironmental crisisLiving matterJusticeConcernsIssuesCrisisOne-factor solutionDemographic characteristicsAssess perceptionsAdvocacyBlackSexual Victimization, Emotion Dysregulation, and Sexual Consent Feelings and Communication During a Recent Sexual Encounter
Walsh K, Lowe S, Ward S. Sexual Victimization, Emotion Dysregulation, and Sexual Consent Feelings and Communication During a Recent Sexual Encounter. The Journal Of Sex Research 2024, ahead-of-print: 1-9. PMID: 38940414, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2024.2368044.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInternal consentEmotion dysregulationSV historySexual violenceConsent cuesReduce sexual violenceOnline self-report surveyRegulation of emotionHistory of SVSexual victimizationAssociated with greater useSexual consentConsent programRegulate emotionsSelf-report surveyConsentSexual situationsSexual well-beingCollege studentsCommunication cuesEmotionsPath modelCuesGreater useSexual encountersIntergenerational trauma transmission through family psychosocial factors in adult children of Rwandan survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi
Bonumwezi J, Grapin S, Uddin M, Coyle S, Habintwali D, Lowe S. Intergenerational trauma transmission through family psychosocial factors in adult children of Rwandan survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Social Science & Medicine 2024, 348: 116837. PMID: 38579628, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116837.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFamily psychosocial factorsPsychosocial factorsDepressive symptomsChild PTSDMaternal PTSDAdverse mental health outcomesChildren of survivorsMaternal trauma exposureCross-sectional online surveyAssociated with child anxietyMental health outcomesPaternal parenting stylesIntergenerational trauma transmissionIntergenerational transmission of traumaParent-child dyadsHealth outcomesTrauma communicationFamily communication stylesSurvivor mothersTransmission of traumaPTSD symptomsTrauma exposureChild anxietyFamily communicationTrauma interventionsO le tagata ma lona aiga, o le tagata ma lona fa’asinomaga (Every person belongs to a family and every family belongs to a person): Development of a parenting framework for adolescent mental wellbeing in American Samoa
Mew E, Hunt L, Toelupe R, Blas V, Winschel J, Naseri J, Soliai-Lemusu S, Tofaeono J, Seui M, Ledoux-Sunia T, Sunia F, Reid A, Helsham D, Lowe S, Poulin R, Hawley N, McCutchan-Tofaeono J. O le tagata ma lona aiga, o le tagata ma lona fa’asinomaga (Every person belongs to a family and every family belongs to a person): Development of a parenting framework for adolescent mental wellbeing in American Samoa. Children And Youth Services Review 2024, 160: 107502. PMID: 38946713, PMCID: PMC11209950, DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107502.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPromote adolescent mental healthAdolescent mental healthAdolescent mental wellbeingMental health problemsMental healthMental wellbeingParenting programsPrevalence of mental health problemsCaregiver mental healthHealth problemsHealth system effortsPromote mental healthCommunity members' perspectivesSemi-structured in-depth interviewsHealthy coping strategiesAdolescent participantsSamoan communityFamily-based interventionsRegion of residenceAdult key informantsDeductive thematic analysisEvidence-based frameworkSemi-structured interviewsCommunity-partneredIn-depth interviewsHelp-Seeking Preferences and Influencing Factors Among Chinese Nurses Exposed to COVID-19: A Person-Centered Approach
Wu Z, Shi W, Chen Y, Lowe S, Liu J. Help-Seeking Preferences and Influencing Factors Among Chinese Nurses Exposed to COVID-19: A Person-Centered Approach. Journal Of Community Health Nursing 2024, 41: 273-285. PMID: 38368504, DOI: 10.1080/07370016.2024.2314076.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHelp-seeking preferencesHelp-seeking intentionsChinese nursesPerceived social supportSocial supportPerson-centered approachLogistic regressionReduce mental illnessMental health servicesOnline mental health servicesCareer durationMedia exposurePsychological help-seeking intentionsCross-sectional designSocial media exposureSampled nursesHealth servicesMental illnessNursesPublic health emergencyHelp-seekingPerson-centeredCOVID-19 preventionLatent class analysisCOVID-19Neighborhood-level economic characteristics and depression and PTSD symptoms among Houstonians who have experienced Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19
Cohen G, Wang R, Rosenberg S, Sampson L, Lowe S, Cabral H, Ruggiero K, Galea S. Neighborhood-level economic characteristics and depression and PTSD symptoms among Houstonians who have experienced Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19. Psychiatry Research 2024, 333: 115766. PMID: 38335779, PMCID: PMC10964477, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115766.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAssociated with higher symptom scoresPosttraumatic stress disorderIncome inequalityMedian incomeNeighborhood socioeconomic contextNeighborhood socioeconomic factorsEconomic characteristicsIndividual-level exposuresNeighbourhood income inequalityNeighborhood median incomeRisk of depressionScores of depressionAmerican Community SurveyMass traumatic eventsSymptoms of depressionMental health consequencesMultilevel linear modelsTraumatic eventsSocioeconomic factorsScore of posttraumatic stress disorderSocioeconomic contextCommunity SurveyPosttraumatic stress disorder symptomsSuper neighborhoodsMultilevel modelsAssociations Between Religious Coping and Long-Term Mental Health in Survivors of Hurricane Katrina
Arkin M, Lowe S, Poon C, Rhodes J. Associations Between Religious Coping and Long-Term Mental Health in Survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Psychology Of Religion And Spirituality 2024, 16: 63-71. DOI: 10.1037/rel0000483.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNegative religious copingPositive religious copingMental health outcomesReligious copingLong-term mental healthAdverse mental health outcomesOngoing longitudinal studyWaves of dataReligious coping stylesMental health treatmentSignificant predictorsPosttraumatic growthPosttraumatic stressHurricane Katrina survivorsCoping stylesHealth outcomesCopingLongitudinal relationshipHealth treatmentMental healthLongitudinal studyKatrina survivorsFuture researchKatrina (RISK) ProjectMental health institutionsA systematic review of the effects of chronic, slow-onset climate change on mental health
Burrows K, Denckla C, Hahn J, Schiff J, Okuzono S, Randriamady H, Mita C, Kubzansky L, Koenen K, Lowe S. A systematic review of the effects of chronic, slow-onset climate change on mental health. Nature Mental Health 2024, 2: 228-243. DOI: 10.1038/s44220-023-00170-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental healthNon-specific psychological distressAdverse mental health outcomesMental health indicatorsMental health outcomesMental health effectsMixed-methods studyMental health consequencesAnxiety symptomsHealth outcomesPsychological distressHealth indicatorsNegative emotionsQualitative studyCausal pathwaysNull findingsSystematic reviewSocietal factorsHealthQuantitative studyAnxietyDepressionSuicideEmotionsWeather-related disastersMentoring relationships
Rhodes J, Lowe S, Schwartz S, Jasman M. Mentoring relationships. 2024, 257-266. DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-96023-6.00060-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPre-disaster Health Vulnerabilities Predict Major Depressive Disorder Symptoms Among High-Risk Puerto Rican Adults after Hurricanes Maria and Irma
Musicaro R, Valdespino-Hayden Z, Lozano M, Ramos C, Joshipura K, Lowe S. Pre-disaster Health Vulnerabilities Predict Major Depressive Disorder Symptoms Among High-Risk Puerto Rican Adults after Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Disaster Medicine And Public Health Preparedness 2024, 19: e22. PMID: 39911054, DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2024.169.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderMDD symptomsDisaster exposurePhysical health conditionsAssociated with posttraumatic stress disorderMajor depressive disorder symptomsPosttraumatic stress disorder symptomsEffects of disaster exposurePuerto Rican adultsDepressive disorder symptomsAdverse psychiatric outcomesPost-disaster mental healthPhysical health symptomsHealth conditionsPhysical health problemsMental health conditionsDepressive disorderDisorder symptomsStress disorderPsychiatric outcomesMDDHealth symptomsRetrospective reportsDepressionMental health