Prevalence of Psychological Distress and Mental Health Problems among the Survivors in the Flash Floods and Landslide in Southern Thailand

Abstract

Significant evidence has shown that southern Thailand is prone to the highest risk of repeated flooding. However, psychological distress and mental health problems caused by the flash floods and landslides have been under-researched among Thai survivors. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore characteristics and factors associated with the prevalence of psychological distress, probable post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), probable depression, suicide risk, and alcohol problems 4 to 6 months after the flooding. The research examined 326 survivors from households in flooded communities in Nakhon Si Thammarat province during 2011. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and a binary logistic regression model were applied to the data representing demographics, household damage, perceived mental health impact, social support and mental health problems. The results showed that the prevalence rate of probable PTSD, probable depression, psychological distress, suicide risk, and alcohol problems were 44.48, 31.29, 29.45, 17.18 and 4.60 %, respectively. Risk factors that variously affected those mental health problems were age, gender, prior physical condition, perception of mental health impacts, skin infection, and injury incurred during the flood. On the other hand, a significant protective factor was the degree of social support. Results suggest that rapid actions should be taken immediately after flooding, especially management with the risk survivor group and promotion of social support to minimize the mental health impacts associated with the flooding.

Climate change, climate-related disasters and mental disorder in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review

“…Two studies assessed ASD, reporting prevalence estimates of 2.2% and 22.5%. Furthermore, two studies measured alcohol-related outcomes; Pollack et al 59 reported a 2% prevalence of storm-related alcohol dependence and Sonpaveerawong et al 66 reported a 17.2% prevalence of flood-related alcohol misuse.…”

“…Five additional studies reported associations between climate change or climate-related disaster exposure severity and mental disorder outcomes, with largely mixed results. For example, Sonpaveerawong et al 66 found that experiencing flood-related injury was significantly associated with risk of suicide (OR 15.39, 95% CI 2.52 to 94.13) but not of PTSD, depression or alcohol abuse (p>0.05).…”

“…Seventeen studies were conducted in Southeast Asia, with six in Vietnam, [55][56][57][58][59][60] four in the Philippines, [61][62][63][64] three in Thailand, [65][66][67] three in Malaysia 30 68 69 and one in Myanmar. 29 Of those studies reporting follow-up lengths, all but one collected data within a year of the exposure.…”

“…Five additional studies reported associations between climate change or climate-related disaster exposure severity and mental disorder outcomes, with largely mixed results. For example, Sonpaveerawong et al 66 found that experiencing flood-related injury was significantly associated with risk In studies with a baseline/comparator (ie, unexposed) group, mental disorders were significantly greater among those exposed vs unexposed to the climate change or climate-related disaster event. [32][33][34] In studies without a baseline/comparator group, the risk factors for mental disorders related to climate change or climate-related disasters were: ► Death/injury (fears or actual): death/injury of loved ones, 35 53 injury.…”

King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Higher-Education Students from the Armed Conflict Region of Thailand

“…5 Most prior studies on PTSD in Thailand have ex-plored its prevalence and the symptoms predictive factors among survivors of natural disasters. 6 However, Sonpaveerawong, et al, 7 reported that a critical protective factor from mental health problems related to natural disasters in Thailand, including PTSD symptoms, is the high social support that characterizes the Thai society.Together with cognitive behavioral therapy, the high social support has been supported by many studies to be effective in PTSD treatment among people residing in the insurgent areas of Southern Thailand. 8 So far, no previous study has attempted to elucidate a protective paradigm related to PTSD symptoms in the armed-conflict areas of Southern Thailand, which have markedly distinct contexts compared with the other parts of Thailand.…”