COVID-19, subjective resilience, adaptive, and coping capacities in hurricane-prone regions

Abstract

This study focuses on understanding perceptions of recovery and resilience by employing the theoretical lens of subjective resilience, adaptive, and coping capacities to understand individual cognition of risks and perceptions of recovery from the pandemic for those living in hurricane-prone areas. We explore several factors affecting perceptions of resilience and recovery, such as capacities to adapt and cope, risk perceptions, communication sources, levels of physical and social vulnerabilities, the ability to prepare for hurricanes during the pandemic, perceptions of government policies, social capital, and partisanship. To analyze these factors, we use individual-level data that were collected using a survey population drawn from both random (via telephone landlines) and nonrandom (via the internet) sampling in Florida. We find that expectations of recovery were positively associated with several factors, including risk perceptions with higher levels of concern about the pandemic, higher self-reported levels of stress, lack of preparation for a hurricane making landfall during the pandemic, less social connectedness, and political party affiliation. The results help inform pandemic preparedness and management.