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PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term psychological effects of natural disasters.

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.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Bacteriological provision of anti-epidemic measures in the zones of a natural disaster in Southern Russia in 2002].

The bacteriological provision of the prophylactic and anti-epidemic measures, taken under the conditions of the unstable sanitary and epidemiological situation which arose as the result of the emergency situation due to the high flood in the Southern Federal District, was carried out by the efforts and means of microbiological laboratories forming a part of the territorial system of observation and laboratory control. On the whole, more than 20,000 samples of water supplied to the population for drinking and household use, more than 10,000 samples of foodstuffs and cooking raw materials were examined in the Southern Federal District during the period of the liquidation of the medico-sanitary consequences of the emergency situation (June-August). To study the epidemic potential of the natural foci of quarantine infections and the probability of the spread of Bacillus anthracis from burial grounds for sick animals, the laboratory capacities of plague-control institutions were used.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Impact of effect of natural disasters on the circulation of causative agents of parasitic diseases].

The southern region is marked by a high incidence of parasitic diseases and a significant contamination of environmental objects with the eggs and cysts of their pathogens. Background examinations revealed the greatest soil contamination with helminthic eggs in the Temryuksky District of the Krasnodar Territory and in the towns of Vladikavkaz and Digora of the Republic of North Ossetia (Alania). The least contamination was found in Rostov-on-Don and the towns of the south-western area of the Krasnodar Territory. The eggs of Toxocara and astamination. There is an increase in the proportion of soil positive tests from 26.6 to 50.0, with the high (up to 82.0-100.0%) viability of eggs and a rise in the intensive index of their content per kg of soil (from 2.7 to 4.7-11.0). Toxocara eggs were mainly detected. The established high proportion of seropositive persons (10.7-18.0%) among the local population is an additional verification of the wide circulation of Toxocara eggs in nature. By the helminthic egg contamination index, the soils of localities of the south of Russia are qualified as those of moderate epidemic hazard. The floods accompanied by the increased helminthological contamination of the upper soil layer may lead to a higher human risk for contamination with helminthic diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Stress levels and health status of victims of a natural disaster.

Bereaved, property loss, and control groups (N = 155) were compared 11 months after the volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helens using standardized instruments and structured interviews. It was hypothesized that the greater the loss the greater the stress and the poorer the health. Bereaved subjects reported significantly higher levels of stress and lower levels of mental health, but not physical health. Persons who lost their permanent homes reported high rates of stress, but did not report significantly higher levels of depression, somatization, or poorer physical health. Conceptual and methodological implications are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Status of natural disaster victims' health and recovery 1 and 3 years later.

Bereaved, property loss, and control groups (N = 155) studied 11 months following the 1980 volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helens were recontacted 35 months postdisaster to test the hypotheses that the greater the loss experienced, the higher the stress, and the poorer the health. In general, the hypotheses were supported. Even though mental distress decreased between the two data collection periods, the mental health of the bereaved group remained poorer than both the property loss and control groups. At 3 years postdisaster, only 4% of the study participants reported complete recovery from disaster loss. Findings are compared with those of other recent disasters and clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Disasters↗
PubMed1994

Understanding acute psychological distress following natural disaster.

A household probability sample of 229 adults was interviewed four to seven months after the Sierra Madre earthquake (June 28, 1991; Los Angeles County). The study predicted psychological distress from these variables: demographics, traumatic event history, low magnitude event history, earthquake related threat perceptions, and earthquake related resource loss. Based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) stress model, it was predicted that resource loss would be central in predicting psychological distress. Three major hypotheses were supported: (1) resource loss was positively associated with psychological distress; (2) resource loss predicted psychological distress when other predictors were statistically controlled; and (3) resource loss was associated with mild to moderate elevations in of psychological distress. The findings support COR stress theory. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1996

Stress debriefing and patterns of recovery following a natural disaster.

Stress debriefing has been used extensively following traumatic events; however, there is little evidence of its effectiveness. This paper reports the effects of stress debriefing on the rate of recovery of 195 helpers (e.g., emergency service personnel and disaster workers) following an earthquake in Newcastle, Australia (62 debriefed helpers and 133 who were not debriefed). Post-trauma stress reactions (Impact of Event Scale) and general psychological morbidity (General Health Questionnaire: GHQ-12) were assessed on four occasions over the first 2 years postearthquake. There was no evidence of an improved rate of recovery among those helpers who were debriefed, even when level of exposure and helping-related stress were taken into account. More rigorous investigation of the effectiveness of stress debriefing and its role in posttrauma recovery is urgently required.

Disasters↗
PubMed1996

Adolescents' perceived risk and personal experience with natural disasters: an evaluation of cognitive heuristics.

Elevated risk judgments for negative life events have been linked to personal experience with events. We tested the hypothesis that cognitive heuristics are the underlying cognitive mechanism for this relation. The availability (i.e., memory for incidents) and simulation (i.e., imagery) heuristics were evaluated as possible mediators for the relation between personal experience and risk estimates for fatal weather events. Adolescents who had experienced weather disasters estimated their personal risk for weather events. Support was obtained for the simulation heuristic (imagery) as a mediator for the relation. Availability for lightning disaster experience was also found to be a mediator for the relation between personal lightning disaster experience and risk estimate for future events. The implications for risk perception research are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Pediatric surgical emergencies in the setting of a natural disaster: Experiences from the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, India.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: On January 26, 2001, a 7.9 Richter earthquake struck the Indian state of Gujarat. Over the next 6 days, the International Red Cross set up a mobile hospital in the city of Bhuj, near the epicenter. The authors describe all surgeries on children treated there during the first 4 weeks of operation. The evolution of presenting injuries is noted, the types of surgery required are classified and an effective disaster relief team composition and strategy are proposed. METHODS: Total casualties were estimated at 30,000, with 250,000 people injured. Of 1,142 inpatients treated at Nor-Finn hospital during the first 4 weeks, approximately 300 (25%) were </=17 years old. Of these, the authors report on the 62 who underwent surgery. Demographic data collected includes (where possible) age, date of presentation, injury, and surgery performed. Injuries are classified as orthopedic, soft tissue, burns, or miscellaneous. Injuries are grouped in 4 weekly time periods beginning February 1 when the hospital opened. RESULTS: Children's ages were evenly distributed. Children required surgery less often than adults. Of children needing surgery, 42% needed orthopedic attention, 42% had soft tissue trauma, 10% had burns, and 6% had miscellaneous injuries. During the hospital's first week, operations were predominantly orthopedic. During the second week, orthopedic and soft tissue injuries occurred at similar frequency. In weeks 3 and 4, soft tissue and burn surgeries were prevalent. CONCLUSIONS: More than 25% of patients requiring hospitalization were children, of whom greater than 20% needed surgery. The operations fell into 4 categories: orthopedic, soft tissue injuries, burns, and miscellaneous. There was an immediate need for orthopedic and general surgery skills followed by a delayed need for plastic surgery skills.

Adolescent↗