Quality of Life, Physical Diseases, and Psychological Impairment among Survivors 3 Years after Wenchuan Earthquake: A Population Based Survey |
| |
Authors: | Jin Wen Ying-Kang Shi You-Ping Li Ping Yuan Fang Wang |
| |
Institution: | Department of Hospital Management and Health Policy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China. |
| |
Abstract: | BackgroundFew research studies have addressed the long-term effects caused by catastrophes, and no study has ever explored the life quality, physical diseases, and psychological impairment of earthquake survivors at the same time. This study seeks to reveal survivors'' quality of life, physical diseases, and mental health.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted through multi-stage sampling approach three years after the Wenchuan earthquake.ResultsA total of 2525 subjects were interviewed. Symptoms of PTSD were reported by 8.8% of the respondents from the seriously affected areas and 0.5%, the less hit areas. Prevalence of chronic diseases was 39.2% and 22.1% respectively, and two-week prevalence rate, 24.9% and 12.7% respectively. In the multivariate analysis, two-week prevalence, displacement, no regular income, receiving mental health support after the disaster, family members died or missing, injured due to the quake, and person who witnessed someone being killed or injured were independently associated with higher prevalence for symptoms of PTSD. Most subscales of SF-12 negatively correlated with age, chronic diseases, two-week prevalence, injured due to the disaster, home or property loss, and score of the 3-year PTSD symptoms, but positively correlated with higher education and higher household income.ConclusionsThe rates of physical diseases and symptoms of PTSD were relatively high, and the quality of life was poor among victims in the hard-hit areas 3 years after the earthquake. Physical impairment correlated with symptom of PTSD, and both were negatively associated with quality of life. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|