Long-Term Psychological Effects of Natural Disasters

Abstract

Relationships between self-reported psychological distress (Symptom Checklist) and experience with two earthquakes are presented for a group of male factor workers (N = 772) from Naples, Italy, participating in the 1987 follow-up of the Olivetti Heart Study. Although all were exposed to the 1980 earthquake that racked southern Italy, only men residing in the Naples suburb of Pozzuoli experienced the continuing swarm of earthquakes ("bradyseism") of 1983-1984, allowing for the observation of a "natural experiment" of sorts. Levels of psychological distress were found to be higher 7 years after the first earthquake for those men who reported damage from that earthquake. Overall, findings were similar for those who were evacuated, or suffered financial loss from the 1983-1984 bradyseism earthquakes. Stratification by 1980 earthquake damage revealed that 1983-1984 evacuation or financial loss was associated with increased distress reporting only for those men who had not reported damage from the 1980 earthquake. Overall, however, distress scores tended to be higher for men evacuated in 1983-1984 if they had also reported damage from the prior earthquake (only the F ratio for anxiety reached criterion for statistical significance). These findings suggest that the psychological consequences of earthquake exposure are long lasting and seem to be related to the consequences of the earthquake in terms of damage/loss.

conséquences à long terme des inondations de juillet 1996 sur la santé biopsychosociale des adultes agés de 50 ans ou plus /

“…Dans diverses études, les adules âgés de 50 ans ou plus ont également mentionné avoir ressenti un sentiment de solitude, de désespoir, une diminution de l'estime de soi, une attitude dépressive ainsi qu'un fort sentiment d'isolement après leur exposition à un désastre (Chung, Werrett, Eastrope, & Farmer, 2004;HelpAge International, 2008; Toyabe, Shioiri, Kuwabara, Endoh, Tanabe (Armenian, Melkonian, & Hovanesian, 1998;Kario & Ohashi, 1997;Matsuoka et al, 2000) et psychologique chez les aînés à la suite de leur exposition à un désastre (Arnberg, Eriksson, Hultman & Lundin, 2011;Bland, O'Leary, Farinaro, Jossa, & Trevisan, 1996;Chen et al, 2001;Knight et al, 2000 ;Priebe, Marchi, Bini, Flego, Costa, Galeazzi, 2011). L'adaptation de ces personnes serait plus difficile après une catastrophe lorsque ces dernières s'isolent, ce qui les prédisposerait à la présence de manifestations dépressives, comparativement aux adultes plus jeunes (Christopher, Noreen, Maxine & Yu-Hsuan, 2006;McNaughton, Smith, Patterson, & Grant, 1990;OMS, 2008).…”

The role of flood memory in the impact of repeat flooding on mental health

“…These findings also seem to hold true for disasters generally [5,12,28]. Indicators include the number of casualties, deaths, losses and disease.…”

Post-Traumatic and Psychiatric Symptoms among Young Earthquake Survivors in Primary Care Camp Hospital

“…In the literature, the long-term effects of an earthquake have been studied less extensively. After the 1989 Newcastle earthquake, 48% of the survivors who had PTSD at 6 months after the disaster, still had PTSD at the 2-year post earthquake assessment (16). The study showed that psychological morbidity declined over time but tended to stabilize at about 12 months after a disaster like an earthquake for general morbidity and at about 18 months for trauma-related morbidity (17).…”