title: One-year follow up of PTSD and depression in elderly aboriginal people in Taiwan after Typhoon Morakot.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes a 1-year follow-up of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and depression in an elderly minority population who experienced Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PTSD Symptom Scale--Interview and the 10-item short form Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale were used to examine PTSD symptomatology and depression in 120 victims at 3-6 months and in 88 victims (73.3% reinterview rate) at 11-12 months after the disaster. Further, we looked for associations between stress, prognosis, and development of PTSD symptomatology and depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of PTSD symptomatology decreased from 29.2% (35/120) at 3-6 months to 15.9% (14/88) at 11-12 months. The prevalence of depression, however, increased from 43.3% (52/120) to 46.6% (41/88). No factor was associated with follow-up PTSD symptomatology, and only the level of education was related to follow-up depression. Generally, the risk factors of age, sex, symptomatology of PTSD and depression at baseline, and stressor of unemployment predicted new-onset or chronic PTSD symptomatology and depression. Delayed-onset depression 48.0% (24/50) was more common than delayed-onset PTSD symptomatology 11.3% (7/62). Chronic and delayed-onset PTSD symptomatology were more easily developed with depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although PTSD and depression were separate consequences of trauma, they emerged and affected mental health together. We documented the courses of PTSD and depression among elderly aboriginal people, and the possible effects of demographic, symptomatology, and adverse life stressors were discussed.
authors: Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-Lung
authors: YL
authors: Chen
authors: Wen-Yau
authors: WY
authors: Hsu
authors: Chung-Sheng
authors: CS
authors: Lai
authors: Tze-Chun
authors: TC
authors: Tang
authors: Peng-Wei
authors: PW
authors: Wang
authors: Yi-Chung
authors: YC
authors: Yeh
authors: Mei-Feng
authors: MF
authors: Huang
authors: Cheng-Fang
authors: CF
authors: Yen
authors: Cheng-Sheng
authors: CS
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D004190:Disasters; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044382:Population Groups / Q000208:ethnology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000208:ethnology
keywords: aged; delayed-onset; depression; longitudinal; post-traumatic stress disorder