Social Factors as Modifiers of Hurricane Irene Evacuation Behavior in Beaufort County, NC

Encouraging residents in high-risk areas to evacuate before a hurricane makes landfall is one of the few ways to reduce hurricane-related morbidity and mortality. However, demographic factors associated with evacuation in at-risk groups have not been consistent across studies. To determine if social factors (social control, social cohesion, and social capital) modified the relationship between demographic groups and failure to evacuate from Hurricane Irene, the authors conducted a cross-sectional stratified two-stage cluster sample among residents of Beaufort County, NC. Of 226 attempted rapid response interviews, 205 were completed (response rate = 90.7%). Data were analyzed using generalized linear modeling, which produced crude risk differences to estimate the association between failure to evacuate from Hurricane Irene and a number of demographic and social factors; effect measure modification (EMM) was assessed on the additive scale through stratified analyses of key social factors. There were no significant associations between demographic or social factors and evacuation in the bivariate analysis. However, EMM was present for households with high social capital or social cohesion among special needs residents, those over age 65, males, and non-whites. In Beaufort County, NC, future hazard mitigation plans should include evacuation messages tailored for households with high social capital or social cohesion.