Hurricane Katrina decimated the Gulf Coast. Not only were the staples of survival in short supply but the breaks in the levy system in New Orleans flooded the city, leaving the city and surrounding area under water.

Due to the severity of the conditions, many questions were raised regarding health concerns. This exploratory study examines the content of health-related articles available on the web sites for The New York Times, the Houston Chronicle, The New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Washington Post, WWL-TV New Orleans, and CNN.com.

A mental model of these concerns clearly delineates the somewhat illogical fears and interests over the six-week period that occurred during this natural disaster of unprecedented size. Such a mental model could provide a framework for those hoping to allay fears in similar disasters.