Stressors of Korean Disaster Relief Team Members during the Nepal Earthquake Dispatch: a Consensual Qualitative Research Analysis.
We conducted in-depth interviews with 11 Korean Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) members about stress related to disaster relief work and analyzed the interview data using the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) method in order to evaluate difficulties in disaster relief work and to develop solutions to these problems in cooperation with related organizations. Results showed that members typically experienced stress related to untrained team members, ineffective cooperation, and the shock and aftermath of aftershock experiences. Stress tended to stem from several factors: difficulties related to cooperation with new team members, the frightening disaster experience, and the aftermath of the disaster. Other stressors included conflict with the control tower, diverse problems at the disaster relief work site, and environmental factors. The most common reason that members participated in KDRT work despite all the stressors and difficulties was pride about the kind of work it involved. Many subjects in this study suffered from various stresses after the relief work, but they had no other choice than to attempt to forget about their experiences over time. It is recommended that the mental health of disaster relief workers will improve through the further development of effective treatment and surveillance programs in the future.
Department of Emergency Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Kangeui
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6804-661X
K
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. psyhee@hanmail.net.
So Hee
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9005-3207
SH
Lee
Department of Emergency Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Taejin
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6706-4645
T
Park
Graduate School of Education, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, Korea.
Ji Yeon
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3728-9808
JY
Lee
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D055866:Earthquakes; D000071822:Emergency Medical Dispatcher / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009390:Nepal; D036301:Qualitative Research; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018635:Rescue Work; D013315:Stress, Psychological
Disasters; Korean Disaster Relief Team; Nepal Earthquake; Rescue Work