title: Psychopathological chronic sequelae of the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, there are no data available among the general adult population on the long-term psychological sequelae of the earthquake that occurred in the town of L'Aquila, Italy in 2009. We investigated the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression (MD) and identified risk factors for these disorders among adult survivors more than one year after the earthquake.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telephone interviews were conducted among a random sample of 957 resident adults. The interviews were performed using a questionnaire on exposure to the earthquake, the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for PTSD, and the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 for MD. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess potential risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rates of PTSD and MD were 4.1% (95% CI=3.0-5.5) and 5.8% (95% CI=4.5-7.5), respectively. The risk factors for PTSD were economic difficulties not necessarily related to the earthquake, chronic disease, death of a relative or friend, and serious economic difficulties as consequence of the earthquake, whereas those for MD were female gender, economic difficulties not necessarily related to the earthquake, not having a permanent job and living in L'Aquila.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The major limitations were the cross sectional design and the uncertain accuracy of the diagnoses compared with clinical diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological symptoms are frequent even 14-19 months after the L'Aquila earthquake. The mental health care providers in the area of L'Aquila should be aware of the possibility of PTSD or MD among their users.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy. antonella.gigantesco@iss.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gigantesco
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mirante
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Granchelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diodati
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cofini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbonelli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tarolla
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Minardi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salmaso
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Argenio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011599:Psychopathology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult