Mental health and quality of life survey among child survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize child survivors' mental health and quality of life after a massive earthquake.


METHODS
A population-based survey of 596 children aged between 8 and 16 years was conducted in the severely affected areas of the earthquake, using a multi-stage systematic sampling design.


RESULTS
The point prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among the child survivors aged between 8 and 16 years 15 months after the earthquake were 12.4 and 13.9%, respectively. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was found to be strongly and negatively associated with PTSD and depression. Children who had lost family members were most likely to develop PTSD (OR = 6.6; P < 0.001) as well as depression (OR = 4.1; P < 0.001). Children who reported no utilization of mental health services were four times more likely to suffer from PTSD than those who did not (P = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
More than one in five child survivors were identified as having PTSD or depression; HRQoL of these identified children were deeply compromised. Utilization of mental health services may significantly reduce the risk of developing PTSD symptoms.
Jia
Zhaobao
Z
Faculty of Health Service, Second Military Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, China.
Tian
Wenhua
W
He
Xiang
X
Liu
Weizhi
W
Jin
Chunlin
C
Ding
Hansheng
H
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D003863:Depression; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*