Mental health and the psychosocial consequences of natural disasters in Asia

Abstract

This article presents an overview of natural disasters in Asia, as well as mental disorders and psychosocial interventions related to disasters. Although most of the top ten worst natural disasters occurred in Asia over the past century, little is known about the mental health and psychosocial aspects. After the tsunami incident in 2004, research reports in international journals related to Asian disasters have been growing. The prevalence rate of post-traumatic stress disorder related to natural disasters is currently between 8.6% and 57.3% depending on assessment methodologies, instruments and timing. Cognitive behaviour therapy has been found to be effective with Asian survivors but needs to be adapted for cultural and local sensitivities. Further research is needed in the areas of epidemiology for mental disorders and suitable psychosocial interventions for disaster survivors in Asia.

Evaluation of a Group-Based Resilience Intervention for Typhoon Haiyan Survivors

“…Email: rhechanova@ateneo.edu) A review of related literature on the consequences of disasters in Asia reports that PTSD affects from 8.7-57.3% of survivors, which is higher than that reported in other global studies. However, the author cites limitations on the rigour, timing, and sampling of the studies on PTSD in Asia (Udomratn, 2008). …”

“…In the past 100 years, nine of ten of the worst natural disasters occurred in Asia (Udomratn, 2008). Furthermore, in developing countries, the impact of natural calamities is exacerbated by poverty, environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, and the poor delivery of government social services (Porio, 2014).…”

“…However, the author cites limitations on the rigour, timing, and sampling of the studies on PTSD in Asia (Udomratn, 2008).…”

Estratégia de Saúde Mental e Atenção Psicossocial para Afetados da Boate Kiss

“…Contudo, como é bastante comum em situações dessa natureza (Molina, 2011;Noal et al, 2016), muitos profissionais e pesquisadores empreenderam ações e estratégias isoladas e de forma paralela, desvinculadas das ofertas e dos fluxos firmados pela equipe gestora central, acarretando em ações sobrepostas e intervenções despreocupadas com uma atenção integral e integrada à população atendida. Inú-meras iniciativas, desvinculadas da estratégia central, colocaram seu acento na abordagem de pressupostos psicopatológicos decorrentes do evento, focando suas ações na oferta de atendimento individual e/ou vitimizador, desconsiderando muitas vezes a capacidade de resposta das estratégias coletivas, das redes socioafetivas e/ou comunitárias (Udomratn, 2008).…”

Terremoto en Chile: estrés agudo y estrés post-traumático en mujeres en tratamiento por depresión grave

“…Estudios realizados en los últimos 30 años estiman que entre 30 y 50% de la población general expuesta a un desastre natural sufre alguna perturbación psicológica en los meses siguientes al evento 3,4 . Ésta se puede manifestar bajo la forma de cuadros transitorios como distress subclínico, estrés agudo (EA) y trastornos adaptativos, hasta patologías de mayor duración como trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT), trastornos depresivos, cuadros ansiosos, abuso de alcohol/drogas, y trastornos somatomorfos [5][6][7] .…”