Where people live in relation to the eastern and southern U.S. coasts influences their opinions on a range of issues related to natural disaster preparedness, mitigation, and insurance, according to a report from the Insurance Research Council (IRC). The report is the second in the Monitor series this year examining catastrophe issues (click here to view a summary of the first issue).

IRC said the study, Public Attitude Monitor 2006, Issue 2, Influence of Coastal Proximity on Natural Disaster Preparedness and Planning, analyzes public opinion on natural disaster issues based on where a respondent lives in relation to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

Unsurprisingly, results from the IRC study show that support for mitigation strategies is strongest among those living in coastal counties. For instance, 80 percent favored government action to preserve and rebuild wetlands in coastal areas, with 56 percent strongly favored such action, compared to 45 percent from interior counties of coastal states and 38 percent in non-coastal states.