Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T00:35:32.865Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relationship Between Long-term Flooding and Serious Mental Illness After the 2011 Flood in Thailand

Part of: Floods collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 December 2016

Takeshi Yoda ,
Katsunori Yokoyama ,
Hiromi Suzuki  and
Tomohiro Hirao
Takeshi Yoda*
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
Katsunori Yokoyama
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
Hiromi Suzuki
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
Tomohiro Hirao
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Takeshi Yoda, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki cho, Kita gun, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan (e-mail: [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term psychological effects of the 2011 flood in Thailand on flood victims and unaffected residents, taking into account risk factors such as floodwater levels in the house, period of flooding, and disruption to essential services.

Methods

Surveys were conducted in Salaya and Nakhon Chaisri subdistrict, Nakhonpatom Province, from May to June 2012. Approximately 400 households were selected. Measures of sociodemographic variables, exposure to flooding, incidents (eg, disruption of services), and outcome variables (Kessler 10) were recorded.

Results

A total of 407 respondents completed the survey. The results of the univariate analysis showed that possible serious mental illness was approximately 1.5 times higher in flood victims than in unaffected respondents. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, significant associations were found for disruption of essential services and hypertension or diabetes with possible serious mental illness.

Conclusions

Disruption of essential services and chronic illness may affect psychological distress among flood victims. Public health agencies should develop and evaluate strategies to improve risk communication and psychological support for flood victims. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:300–304).

Keywords

flood victimsserious mental illnesspsychological distressrisk factors
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , June 2017 , pp. 300 - 304
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Ohl, CA, Tapsell, S. Flooding and human health. BMJ. 2000;321(7270):1167-1168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.321.7270.1167.Google Scholar
2. Piyaphanee, W, Olanwijitwong, J, Kusolsuk, T, et al. Awareness, practices, and health problems of backpackers traveling during flooding in Thailand during 2011. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2012;43(5):1193-1200.Google Scholar
3. Bich, TH, Quang, LN, Thanh Ha, LT, et al. Impacts of flood on health: epidemiologic evidence from Hanoi, Vietnam. Glob Health Action. 2011;4(00):6356. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v4i0.6356.Google Scholar
4. Ahern, M, Kovats, RS, Wilkinson, P, et al. Global health impacts of floods: epidemiologic evidence. Epidemiol Rev. 2005;27(1):36-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/epirev/mxi004.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Mason, V, Andrews, H, Upton, D. The psychological impact of exposure to floods. Psychol Health Med. 2010;15(1):61-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548500903483478.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Kessler, RC, Andrews, G, Colpe, LJ, et al. Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychol Med. 2002;32(6):959-976. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291702006074.Google Scholar
7. Sakurai, K, Nishi, A, Kondo, K, et al. Screening performance of K6/K10 and other screening instruments for mood and anxiety disorders in Japan. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2011;65(5):434-441. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1819.2011.02236.x.Google Scholar
8. Paranjothy, S, Gallacher, J, Amlot, R, et al. Psychosocial impact of the summer 2007 floods in England. BMC Public Health. 2011;11(1):145. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-145.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Wisitwong, A, McMillan, M. Management of flood victims: chainat Province, central Thailand. Nurs Health Sci. 2010;12(1):4-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-2018.2009.00504.x.Google Scholar
10. Ginexi, EM, Weihs, K, Simmens, SJ, et al. Natural disaster and depression: a prospective investigation of reactions to the 1993 midwest floods. Am J Community Psychol. 2000;28(4):495-518. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005188515149.Google Scholar