Posttraumatic stress disorder of the Tsunami survivors in Thailand.
BACKGROUND
The natural disaster known as "the Tsunami" occurred in the Andaman sea coast of Thailand in December 2004, and there had been questions whether it could cause PTSD amongst the population who lives in the affected area and how to avoid PTSD condition to occur.


OBJECTIVE
Establish statistical results of psychosocial factors, and their correlation to PTSD and other mental disorders to generate the PTSD database.


METHODS
A cross-sectional community surveys from 3,133 samples had been conducted in two phases from the same sampling group. The first phase was concerned with prevalence of PTSD, depression, and related factors. The second phase included 2,573 samples from the first phase and focused on chronic PTSD and other mental disorders.


RESULTS
The 3,133 samples used in the first phase show that 33.6% suffered from PTSD, 14.27% with depression, and 11.27% suffered from both. The 2,573 samples from the first phase were followed, collected the blood, and interview data only 21.6% were diagnosed with chronic PTSD.


CONCLUSIONS
The statistical analysis has identified risks factors that could cause PTSD, and protective actions that could help to prevent PTSD. The prevalence of PTSD was still higher in the affected region six months after the Tsunami.
Thavichachart
Nuntika
N
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Tangwongchai
Sookjaroen
S
Worakul
Puangsoy
P
Kanchanatawan
Buranee
B
Suppapitiporn
Siriluck
S
Pattalung
Autapol Sukoltapirom na
AS
Roomruangwong
Chutima
C
Chareonsook
Ongart
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D055871:Tidal Waves; D055815:Young Adult