Abstract
The present study reports on the findings from an ICMR supported Research Project on the mental health consequences and service needs of the population of an urban slum in Delhi affected by an intermediate fire disaster. The study was aimed at examining the prevalence, the pattern and the predictors of mental health morbidity in the disaster affected population. Modified cohort design was used , with a control group, and two stage assessments for the prevalence of psychiatric disorder at two years after the disaster, with GHQ-12 and SCAN based clinical interview with ICD-10-DCR.. The data were analysed using r2 test and independent ′t′ test for inter group comparison and stepwise logistic regression for finding predictors of psychiatric morbidity and psychological ill health. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was significantly higher (78/1,000 v/s 22/1,000), and the prevalence of psychological ill health was also higher (232/1000 v/s 50/1000), as compared to the control group. The commonest psychiatric disorders were Depression, Substance Use Disorders, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and Somatoform Disorders. The commonest symptoms of psychological ill health were suggestive of depression. Age and participation in relief work were found to be strong predictors, and physical injuries were found to be a weak predictor of mental health morbidity. The findings have important implications in the service delivery and research on mental health aspects of disasters, which are highlighted and discussed.
Keywords: Disaster, Mental Health, Prevalence, Pattern, Predictors
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (89.5 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bromet E., Dew M. A. Review of psychiatric epidemiologic research on disasters. Epidemiol Rev. 1995;17(1):113–119. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.epirev.a036166. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bruce M. L., Takeuchi D. T., Leaf P. J. Poverty and psychiatric status. Longitudinal evidence from the New Haven Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1991 May;48(5):470–474. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1991.01810290082015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cobb S., Lindemann E. NEUROPSYCHIATRIC OBSERVATIONS. Ann Surg. 1943 Jun;117(6):814–824. doi: 10.1097/00000658-194311760-00004. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Costello E. J., Keeler G. P., Angold A. Poverty, race/ethnicity, and psychiatric disorder: a study of rural children. Am J Public Health. 2001 Sep;91(9):1494–1498. doi: 10.2105/ajph.91.9.1494. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Goldberg D. P., Gater R., Sartorius N., Ustun T. B., Piccinelli M., Gureje O., Rutter C. The validity of two versions of the GHQ in the WHO study of mental illness in general health care. Psychol Med. 1997 Jan;27(1):191–197. doi: 10.1017/s0033291796004242. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Green B. L. Assessing levels of psychological impairment following disaster: consideration of actual and methodological dimensions. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1982 Sep;170(9):544–552. doi: 10.1097/00005053-198209000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jacob K. S., Bhugra D., Mann A. H. The validation of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire among ethnic Indian women living in the United Kingdom. Psychol Med. 1997 Sep;27(5):1215–1217. doi: 10.1017/s0033291796004436. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McFarlane A. C., Clayer J. R., Bookless C. L. Psychiatric morbidity following a natural disaster: an Australian bushfire. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1997 Jul;32(5):261–268. doi: 10.1007/BF00789038. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rubonis A. V., Bickman L. Psychological impairment in the wake of disaster: the disaster-psychopathology relationship. Psychol Bull. 1991 May;109(3):384–399. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.109.3.384. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shamasundar C., Murthy S. K., Prakash O. M., Prabhakar N., Krishna D. K. Psychiatric morbidity in a general practice in an Indian city. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986 Jun 28;292(6537):1713–1715. doi: 10.1136/bmj.292.6537.1713. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sharan P., Chaudhary G., Kavathekar S. A., Saxena S. Preliminary report of psychiatric disorders in survivors of a severe earthquake. Am J Psychiatry. 1996 Apr;153(4):556–558. doi: 10.1176/ajp.153.4.556. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Weich S., Lewis G., Jenkins S. P. Income inequality and the prevalence of common mental disorders in Britain. Br J Psychiatry. 2001 Mar;178:222–227. doi: 10.1192/bjp.178.3.222. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Weisaeth L. A study of behavioural responses to an industrial disaster. Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl. 1989;355:13–24. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]