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Examining the Incidence and Predictors of Low Resilience and Potential PTSD Among Residents in Two Canadian Provinces Amidst the 2023 Wildfires

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2024

M. K. Adu ,
R. Shalaby ,
B. Agyapong ,
R. D. L. Dias  and
V. I. Agyapong
M. K. Adu*
Affiliation:
1Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
R. Shalaby
Affiliation:
2Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
B. Agyapong
Affiliation:
2Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
R. D. L. Dias
Affiliation:
1Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
V. I. Agyapong
Affiliation:
1Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

The recent wildfires in Canada provide a clear illustration of the significant and lasting damage they inflict on the well-being of individuals and communities. Evaluating the occurrence and factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and low resilience is valuable for policymakers in public health.

Objectives

The study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of low resilience and likely PTSD among subscribers of Text4Hope, an e-mental health program that delivered daily supportive messages to residents of Nova Scotia (NS) and Alberta (AB) during the recent wildfires.

Methods

Data collection was through a self-administered online survey completed by residents of the affected regions of NS and AB from May 14 to June 23, 2023. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Results

Out of 298 respondents, the prevalence of low resilience and likely PTSD in our sample were 52.0% and 39.3% respectively. Unemployed respondents were about 3 times more likely to experience both low resilience and PTSD symptoms compared to those employed. Respondents with a history of mental health diagnosis were about 4 times more likely to experience likely PTSD compared to those with no history of mental health diagnosis.

Conclusions

This research demonstrated that the likelihood of PTSD was predicted by both unemployment and a history of mental health diagnosis, with unemployment also being linked to low resilience during the wildfire. These results provide valuable insights for designing clinical interventions and developing psychosocial support programs tailored for vulnerable populations.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 67 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 32nd European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2024 , pp. S344
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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