Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After Natural Disasters: A Review (original) (raw)
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The aetiology of post-traumatic stress disorders following a natural disaster
The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1988
Access the most recent version at doi: 1988 152: 116-121 The British Journal of Psychiatry AC McFarlane disaster The aetiology of post-traumatic stress disorders following a natural References http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/abstract/152/1/116#otherarticles Article cited in: permissions Reprints/ permissions@rcpsych.ac.uk to To obtain reprints or permission to reproduce material from this paper, please write to this article at You can respond http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/eletter-submit/152/1/116
Journal of affective disorders, 2011
Objective: We aimed to examine psychiatric morbidity and functional impairment after a natural disaster. Method: Norwegian tourists who survived the 2004 tsunami in Khao Lak (n= 63), a severely affected area in Thailand, were interviewed in person 2.5 years after the disaster. The examination included the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, the PTSD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders, the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), the Global Assessment of Functioning function score (GAF-F), and questions covering background characteristics and disaster exposure. Results: The most prevalent disorders were specific phobia (30.2%), agoraphobia (17.5%), social anxiety disorder (11.1%), PTSD (11.1%), major depressive disorder (MDD, 11.1%), and dysthymic disorder (DD, 11.1%). In 24 of the 40 respondents with a current psychiatric disorder, symptoms had originated after the tsunami. The post-tsunami 2.5 year incidence of PTSD and MDD was 36.5% and 28.6%, respectively. Multivariable regression analysis showed that the depressive disorders (MDD and DD) and PTSD were associated with self-reported functional impairment (WSAS), and the depressive disorders were associated with clinician assessed functional impairment (GAF-F). Limitations: Small sample size and high education may limit the generalizability of the results. Conclusions: Depression and anxiety disorders were common among disaster victims 2.5 years after the 2004 tsunami. Psychiatric disorders other than PTSD, especially depressive disorders, are of clinical importance when considering long-term mental health effect of disasters.
The importance of secondary trauma exposure for post-disaster mental disorder
Epidemiology and …, 2012
Background. Interventions to treat mental disorders after natural disasters are important both for humanitarian reasons and also for successful post-disaster physical reconstruction that depends on the psychological functioning of the affected population. A major difficulty in developing such interventions, however, is that large between-disaster variation exists in the prevalence of post-disaster mental disorders, making it difficult to estimate need for services in designing interventions without carrying out a post-disaster mental health needs assessment survey. One of the daunting methodological challenges in implementing such surveys is that secondary stressors unique to the disaster often need to be discovered to understand the magnitude, type, and population segments most affected by post-disaster mental disorders.
Post-traumatic stress disorder following disasters: a systematic review
Psychological Medicine, 2007
Background. Disasters are traumatic events that may result in a wide range of mental and physical health consequences. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is probably the most commonly studied post-disaster psychiatric disorder. This review aimed to systematically assess the evidence about PTSD following exposure to disasters.
Current Environmental Health Reports, 2019
Purpose of Review As interest in the mental health consequences of environmental disasters increases, this review aimed to summarize peer-reviewed studies published in 2018 on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms after such events. Recent Findings Notable trends in the past year of research included studies focusing on vulnerable populations (e.g., persons with preexisting physical health conditions), assessing the cumulative impact of exposure to multiple disasters, exploring pathway leading to PTSD and depression symptoms, and evaluating the effectiveness of post-disaster interventions. Summary Over 100 articles were identified, focused on 40 disasters that occurred between 1982 and 2017. Prevalence estimates ranged from 0 to 70.51% for PTSD and 1.9 to 59.5% for depression. Consistent predictors of adverse outcomes included female gender, socioeconomic disadvantage, high disaster exposure, and low psychosocial resources. Further research that expands upon recent advances in the literature is critical given the large proportion of the world's population exposed to disasters and the increasing incidence of such events.
The Impact of Natural Disaster on Mental Health of Victims Lives: Systematic Review
International Journal of Science and Society, 2020
Natural disasters are still a matter of the world until today. The events pose not only physical impact but also psychological impacts that leave deep sorrow and fear. The survivors of the disaster felt they were at a very unsettled condition, felt very fearful, felt agitated for uncertain circumstances, and became very easily panicked until they could experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This systematic review aims to identify the impact–effects often posed by natural disasters on the soul health of survivors. Data searching is done on the Proquest, Pubmed, Science Direct, Sage, and Scopus databases that were converged in the 2013 to 2019 ranges. The psychological impact experienced by the victims after natural disaster events are depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fear, suicide experiments, and other mental health disorders such as mood changes and a loss of interest in an activity. Natural disasters can hurt the mental health ...
Symptomatology and psychopathology of mental health problems after disaster
The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 2006
A variety of reactions are observed after a major trauma. In the majority of cases these resolve without any long-term consequences. In a significant proportion of individuals, however, recovery may be impaired, leading to long-term pathological disturbances. The most common of these is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is characterized by symptoms of reexperiencing the trauma, avoidance and numbing, and hyperarousal. A range of other disorders may also be seen after trauma, and there is considerable overlap between PTSD symptoms and several other psychiatric conditions. Risk factors for PTSD include severe exposure to the trauma, female sex, low socioeconomic status, and a history of psychiatric illness. Although PTSD may resolve in the majority of cases, in some cases risk factors outweigh protective factors, and symptoms may persist for many years. PTSD often coexists with other psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse, and with...
Well-Being and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to Natural and Man-Made Disasters on Adults
2015
Background: Research has shown that man-made disasters effect people more severely than natural disasters. Females are affected more severely as compared to males in disasters. The most prominent effects are low well-being and high post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objectives: To compare the differences in well-being and PTSD among adults exposed to natural and man-made disasters. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 150 young adults exposed to flood in Punjab (50), terrorism in KPK (50) and suicide bombing (terrorism) in Islamabad (50). Results: Adults exposed to natural disaster like flood scored significantly higher on well-being as compared to adults exposed to man-made disaster like terrorism and suicide bombing. Post-traumatic stress disorder was more in terrorism exposed adults as compared to flood exposed adults. Within gender, females adapted better to man-made disasters. Conclusion: Adults exposed to natural disaster adapt better than tho...