Post‐earthquake quality of life and psychological well‐being: Longitudinal evaluation in a rural community sample in northern China

Abstract

This study aims to observe longitudinal change of quality of life (QOL) and psychological wellbeing in a community sample affected by an earthquake and to examine the relationship between QOL and disaster exposure, post-disaster support and other related variables. The subjects, from two villages at different distances from the epicenter, were assessed using the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) and three subscales of a symptoms checklist at 3 months (n = 335) and 9 months (n = 253) after the earthquake, respectively. Exposure to the earthquake was associated with multidimensional impairment in QOL, including physical, psychological and environmental domains at 3 months, and psychological and environmental domains at 9 months. The victims also suffered significantly more psychological distress in terms of depression, somatization and anxiety. At both assessment points the group that experienced lower initial exposure but then received less post-disaster help reported poorer QOL and psychological well-being. The two victim groups also differed significantly in changing trend along time. The group that received more support showed a general improvement in post-disaster well-being from 3 months to 9 months. The results confirm that post-disaster variables could be as important to post-disaster psychosocial outcomes as variables of predisaster vulnerability and disaster per se. A comprehensive and prospective assessment of disaster effects is imperative for the better organization of disaster relief programs and psychosocial interventions.

Lessons Learnt from Influences of the Marmara Earthquake on Glycemic Control and Quality of Life in People with Type 1 Diabetes

“…Stress negatively affects either people with diabetes [24,29,35,36] or without [17][18][19][20][21][22]. Positive life events were associated with improved glycemic control; on the other hand, recent severe stressors were associated with poorer glycemic control [35].…”

“…Supplies of insulin and other drugs for people with diabetes run out, and there is rapidly increased anxiety among diabetics [1,24]. Among the earthquake studies published between 1995 and 2000, few studies are involved with the impact of earthquakes on the quality of life (QOL) [26,29,30]. Wang et al [29] examined longitudinal change of QOL and psychological well-being in the aftermath of an earthquake.…”

“…Among the earthquake studies published between 1995 and 2000, few studies are involved with the impact of earthquakes on the quality of life (QOL) [26,29,30]. Wang et al [29] examined longitudinal change of QOL and psychological well-being in the aftermath of an earthquake. Lin et al [30] observed the impact of earthquake on QOL among elderly survivors.…”

The influence of health-promoting lifestyles on the quality of life of retired workers in a medium-sized city of Northeastern China

“…Previous Chinese studies of lifestyles or QOL focused mainly on urban populations and patients or on specific populations, such as AIDS patients, HIV-infected heroin users, Bell's palsy patients, workers exposed to coal dust, rural-to-urban migrants, civil servants, professional drivers, and earthquake victims [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. However, very few studies have examined whether and, if so, how QOL is associated with lifestyles and health among retired workers.…”

Social Support, Impression Management and Well-Being Following a Disaster: A Literature Review and Some Conceptual Considerations

“…Xiangdong [13] found that the earthquake adversely affected the victims' quality of life in physical, psychological and environmental domains at 3 months and psychological and environmental domains at 9 months, after the disaster. When compared with the non-affected comparison group, the victims suffered significantly more psychological distress in terms of depression and anxiety.…”