Table 2.
Factors associated with PTSD (total scores of the Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale ≥30)
| Row % | ORU | P | ORm (95%CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-earthquake data | ||||
| Background characteristics | ||||
| Age | ||||
| <15 years | 24.9 | 1.00 | ||
| ≥15 years | 17.7 | 0.65 | <0.001 | NS |
| Grade | ||||
| Junior high grade 1 | 24.4 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Junior high grade 2 | 26.6 | 1.12 | 0.221 | 1.18 (0.95–1.47) |
| Senior high grade 1 | 16.4 | 0.61 | <0.001 | 0.65 (0.47–0.90)** |
| Senior high grade 2 | 14.0 | 0.50 | <0.001 | 0.50 (0.36–0.70)*** |
| Previous adversities | ||||
| School bullying | ||||
| No | 20.7 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 26.2 | 1.36 | 0.001 | NS |
| Severe mental distress | ||||
| No | 18.4 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 29.8 | 1.88 | <0.001 | 1.60 (1.32–1.96)*** |
| Corporal punishment | ||||
| No | 20.1 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 27.8 | 1.53 | <0.001 | NS |
| Direct impacts of the Sichuan Earthquake | ||||
| Absence from school since the earthquake when the school was not closed | ||||
| No | 21.1 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 30.3 | 1.62 | <0.001 | 1.39 (1.06–1.83)* |
| Temporary departure from Chengdu to avoid the disaster | ||||
| No | 21.1 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 35.4 | 2.05 | <0.001 | 1.74 (1.29–2.36)*** |
| Family members left Chengdu to avoid the disaster | ||||
| No | 21.4 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 31.3 | 1.67 | <0.001 | NS |
| Number of nights stayed outdoor overnight after May 12 | ||||
| 0 | 20.5 | 1.00 | NS | |
| 1–2 | 18.9 | 0.90 | 0.433 | |
| 3–5 | 21.7 | 1.07 | 0.597 | |
| ≥6 | 37.4 | 2.31 | <0.001 | |
| Responses to the Sichuan Earthquake | ||||
| Had been to some affected areas after May 12 | ||||
| No | 21.8 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 32.7 | 1.75 | 0.001 | 1.51 (1.01–2.26)* |
| Support from parents/teachers/peers | ||||
| Parents stayed in Chengdu during the 1st week after earthquake occurred | ||||
| No | 26.1 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 21.5 | 0.78 | 0.017 | NS |
| Parents went to affected areas after earthquake occurred | ||||
| No | 21.7 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 26.8 | 1.33 | 0.018 | NS |
| Impact from the media | ||||
| Number of times weeping when watching the news report about the earthquake | ||||
| 0 | 17.2 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1–3 | 23.1 | 1.45 | <0.001 | 1.22 (0.98–1.51) |
| ≥4 | 30.3 | 2.09 | <0.001 | 1.62 (1.24–2.12)*** |
| Exposure to different types of content about the news on the earthquake | ||||
| Scary messages | ||||
| No | 17.1 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 36.3 | 2.77 | <0.001 | 2.07 (1.69–2.53)*** |
| Sorrowful messages | ||||
| No | 18.0 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 23.6 | 1.41 | 0.001 | NS |
| Worry about future disasters | ||||
| Worry about having aftershocks during the first 2 weeks after the Sichuan Earthquake | ||||
| No | 12.8 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 27.7 | 2.54 | <0.001 | 1.62 (1.28–2.04)*** |
| Currently worrying about having aftershocks | ||||
| No | 16.0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 46.4 | 4.49 | <0.001 | 3.11 (2.50–3.88)*** |
| Chengdu would have severe earthquakes in the future | ||||
| No | 21.3 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 32.9 | 1.81 | <0.001 | NS |
| One would encounter severe disasters in lifetime | ||||
| No | 20.5 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 26.2 | 1.38 | <0.001 | NS |
ORU univariate odds ratio obtained using logistic regression, ORm odds ratio obtained from stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis using univariately significant variables as candidate variables, NS not statistically significant in multivariate analysis
Variables that were not significant for PTSD in the univariate analysis were not tabulated in the table. These variables include gender, having visited affected areas before May 12, prior experience of relatives’ death, prior serious illness of oneself or relatives, prior serious accident, impact of the earthquake on one’s relatives living in the affected areas (injured, died, and having their house collapse), perceived sense of security from teachers, perceived mutual support among peers, and number of hours of lost contact with family members after the earthquake
*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001