Psychiatric disorders in children at one year after the tsunami disaster in Thailand.
BACKGROUND
The tsunami that struck Thailand on 26th December 2004 was the greatest natural disaster in the country's history. It left in its wake unprecedented damage and destruction. Children suffered the loss of parents or guardians, and survivors were left to cope with psychological trauma of the disaster


OBJECTIVE
To assess the psychiatric disorders in tsunami victim children at one year after the event.


METHODS
A cross sectional study was done. One thousand three hundred and sixty-four students from 2 schools were enrolled. Three tests were used according to the students' grades, pediatric symptoms checklist, Childhood Depressive Inventory and the Revised Child Impact of Events scale (CRIES). Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed by child and adolescent psychiatrists, using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM IV). Analysis data by using SPSS version 10.0 and Chi-square test. The results were presented as percentage and p-value.


RESULTS
Psychiatric disorders were found in 142 students or 10.4 percents of all students at one year after the tsunami disaster. Not all the students who had psychiatric disorders developed them as the result of the tsunami disaster However, ninety students or 6.3 percent of all the students did have psychiatric disorders resulting from the tsunami disaster The most common psychiatric problem was post traumatic stress disorder Ten percent of grade 4-6 students and 11 percent of grade 7-9 students had psychiatric disorders. The prevalence was lower in kindergarten and grade 1-3 students of which the percentage was 2.3 and 3.8 respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of psychiatric disorders at 1 year after the tsunami disaster was 10.4 percent of all the students or 33.1 percent of victims. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in grade 4-6 and 7-9 students was higher than in kindergarten and grade 1-3 students. The most common psychiatric problem is post traumatic stress disorder.
Piyasil
Vinadda
V
Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, Department of Medical Services, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Ketumarn
Panom
P
Prubrukarn
Ratanotai
R
Pacharakaew
Siripapa
S
Dumrongphol
Hattaya
H
Rungsri
Sarinee
S
Sitdhiraksa
Nantawat
N
Pitthayaratsathien
Nattorn
N
Prasertvit
Jiraporn
J
Sudto
Korapin
K
Theerawongseree
Siriporn
S
Aowjinda
Sumitra
S
Thaeramanophab
Somchit
S
Jotipanu
Vajiraporn
V
Chatchavalitsakul
Wilairatana
W
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D055871:Tidal Waves; D013997:Time Factors