title: The presence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in earthquake survivors one month after a mudslide in southwest China.
abstract: The psychological impact of a mudslide on survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake in China and the risk factors for development of disaster-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were investigated. The study design was cross-sectional and included 1321 survivors who had endured both an earthquake and a mudslide. Participants filled out a self-report questionnaire. One month after the mudslide, the rate of PTSD symptoms was 18.7%. Females, the elderly, those with lower educational levels, those that lacked social support, those who did not take precautionary measures, those living with children below 6 years of age, and those who had higher exposure to traumatic events experienced a higher level of PTSD symptoms. Results indicated that timely rescue, abundant material help, and mental rehabilitation after a disaster play important roles in recovery, and that there are still some high-risk groups that need attention, care, and effective intervention from healthcare professionals and society.
authors.affiliation: West China Hospital/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Maylan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongxia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004189:Disaster Planning; D055866:Earthquakes; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055876:Landslides; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000592:standards; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: China; earthquake; mudslide; multiple natural disaster experiences; post-traumatic stress disorder