title: Holistic approach to community in crisis.
abstract: This report emphasizes the belief that whatever the type and scale of disaster, the period of transition from relief to recovery is the most critical. Following the severe earthquake that struck Kachchh, Gurjarat, India on 26 January 2001, emotions spanned grief over the lives lost; anxiety over property and other economic losses; profound feelings of isolation, helplessness, and guilt; and panic in the face of problematic communications from authorities. In an attempt to manage this vast array of psychosocial problems, a large cadre of volunteers was rapidly trained and supervised by experts to work as grass-roots counselors for the community.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, SBKS MI&RC, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara 391760, India. researchdirectorsvu@gmail.com
authors: Sandip
authors: S
authors: Shah
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000639:trends; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D004190:Disasters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D061345:Early Medical Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D055866:Earthquakes / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007390:International Agencies; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011570:Psychiatry; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014838:Volunteers
keywords: Earthquake; Mental health; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Volunteers