Significant PTSD and Other Mental Health Effects Present 18 Months After the Fort Mcmurray Wildfire: Findings From 3,070 Grades 7–12 Students

Abstract

Background: The May 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada forced evacuation of the population of 88,000 individuals and destroyed 10% of the homes. Youth are particularly impacted by disaster. Methods: Eighteen months after the wildfire, Fort McMurray Public and Catholic Schools surveyed 3,252 of the 4,407 students in Grades 7–12 to determine possible long-term psychological impacts. The survey included validated measurement scales for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, quality of life, self-esteem, and resilience. Data analysis was possible for only 3,070 students, i.e., 70% of the total student population. Anonymized data were analyzed to compare students who directly experienced lesser or greater impact from the wildfire, with greater impact defined as personally seeing the fire or having one’s home destroyed. Also, students with greater or lesser scores on the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12) were compared. Results: Of the 3,070 students, 37% met criteria for probable PTSD; 31% met criteria for probable depression, and 17% for probable depression of at least moderate severity; 27% of students met criteria for probable anxiety, and 15% for probable alcohol or substance use disorder; 46% of all students met criteria for one or more probable diagnosis of PTSD, depression, anxiety, or alcohol/substance abuse, and this included students who were both present and not present in Fort McMurray at the time of the wildfire. Students with greater impact from the wildfire exhibited significantly higher scores on measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and alcohol/substance use. They also had lower self-esteem and quality of life scores. Students with lower resilience scores exhibited a similar pattern. Conclusions: These findings highlight first the negative impact of disasters on youth mental health, particularly for those who directly experience wildfire, and second the role of resilience on youth mental health, with lower resilience associated with substantially lower mental health outcomes. These results emphasize the need for long-term mental health supports for youth post-disaster, with specific focus on increasing youth resilience, which may serve as a protective factor against effects of disaster on mental health.

Health effects of wildfire smoke in children and public health tools: a narrative review

“…A number of studies suggest mental health effects of wildfire disasters on children. Surveys of the middle and high school students in a small Canadian city, 18 months after a large wildfire caused evacuation of the entire city, showed elevated rates of depressive symptoms among youth in that city compared to youth in a control city [61,62]. It is worth noting, however, that these effects cannot be clearly attributed to wildfire smoke as the trauma associated with widespread evacuation likely contributes to mental health.…”

The Role of Social Determinants in Mental Health and Resilience After Disasters: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice

“…According to the research of the Population Reference Bureau, during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, women and children were more likely to suffer physical and psychological problems than men were (47). Moreover, many studies indicate that children, especially those under 8 years of age, are especially vulnerable to psychological and mental health problems following disasters (48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53). The most common symptoms and diagnoses consist of anxiety disorders, such as PTSD, panic, and phobias.…”

Beyond the black stump: rapid reviews of health research issues affecting regional, rural and remote Australia

“…This aligns with the World Health Organization’s guidelines for providing psychological first aid to survivors of trauma, including bushfires 26 . The need for preventive and promotive long term mental health support for those impacted by bushfire was also highlighted 17,23 . In addition, it was suggested that the support for children should focus on assisting them to strengthen and maintain social relationships, as emotional support appeared to play a protective and promotive role, and encouraged higher levels of prosocial behaviour 27 .…”

“…We did not find any research on effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing the risk of the impact of bushfires. Gibbs et al observed, “there is a critical shortage of evidence for post‐disaster intervention effectiveness for all ages, due to the ethical and pragmatic challenges of conducting research in post‐traumatic settings.” 21 Although several studies suggested screening children and adolescents after bushfires to identify those who may be at risk of mental health sequelae 17,22 and providing long term mental health support, 17,23 guidance on delivering the required support was lacking.…”