title: A post-earthquake psychopathological investigation in Armenia: methodology, summary of findings, and follow-up.
abstract: The post-earthquake psychopathological investigation (PEPSI) was designed to probe the short-and long-term effects of the earthquake in northern Armenia on 7 December 1988 on survivors' mental and physical health. Four phases of this study have been conducted to date, and, overall, more than 80 per cent of a sub-sample of 1,773 drawn from an initial cohort of 32,743 was successfully followed during 2012. This paper describes the methodology employed in the evaluation, summarises previous findings, details the current objectives, and examines the general characteristics of the sample based on the most recent follow-up phase outcomes. Despite a significant decrease in psychopathology rates between 1990 and 2012, prevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among study participants in 2012 were greater than 15 and 26 per cent, respectively. The paper also notes the strengths and limitations of the study vis-à-vis future research and highlights the importance and potential practical implications of similar assessments and their outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Research Associate at the College of Health Sciences, American University of Armenia, Armenia.
authors.forename: Vahe
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Khachadourian
authors.affiliation: Professor at the Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
authors.forename: Haroutune
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Armenian
authors.affiliation: Senior Research Specialist at the College of Health Sciences, American University of Armenia, Armenia.
authors.forename: Anahit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demirchyan
authors.affiliation: Chief Executive Officer at Promtest, Armenia.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melkonian
authors.affiliation: Chief Executive Officer at Synergy International Systems, United States.
authors.forename: Ashot
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hovanesian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001136:Armenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004190:Disasters / Q000191:economics; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011599:Psychopathology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: disaster; earthquake; follow-up study; health outcomes; methods; protocol; psychopathology