ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A new study says Puerto Ricans who moved to Florida instead of remaining on the island may have had a more difficult time adjusting to their post-Hurricane Maria world.
The study by researchers at the University of Miami and Boston University says the post-hurricane adjustment appears to have been more psychologically taxing for Puerto Ricans who moved to Florida instead of staying, and for people in rural and suburban areas compared to urban dwellers.
The study was published late last year.
Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans moved to Florida after the Category 4 hurricane devastated the island in 2017, killing almost 3,000 people.
The researchers used an online survey to determine the effects of the storm on mental health using a sample of 213 Puerto Ricans.
This story has been corrected to reflect that the study says the adjustment was more taxing for suburban and rural residents compared to urban dwellers.
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