Shneha Acharya1, Dharma Nanda Bhatta2, Sawitri Assannangkornchai1. 1. 1Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine,Prince of Songkla University,Hat-yai,Thailand. 2. 2Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, People's Dental College,Tribhuwan University,Kathmandu,Nepal.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The 2015 earthquake in Nepal affected the country in terms of economy, and by causing damage and stress reactions. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and determine individual child- and family-level predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Kathmandu district 15 months after the earthquake. Multistage cluster sampling was adopted to collect 800 earthquake-affected children aged 7-16 years and a face-to-face interview was conducted. Trauma exposure questionnaire and Child PTSD Symptoms Scale were used for assessment of the level of exposure and PTSD symptoms. Multilevel generalized linear regression analysis was used to explore individual and family-level predictors. RESULTS: Among the children, 51% had moderate-to-severe PTSD symptoms. Children of school age (adjusted odds ratio=2.83 [1.45-5.49]), those attending lower-secondary school (2.26 [1.21-4.21]), those having a higher exposure to the severity of the earthquake, and those with low psychosocial acuity [1.70 (1.10-2.60)] were more likely to have more severe PTSD symptoms compared with those who were adolescents and in higher-secondary school, whereas children from a family living in an urban (0.33 [0.19-0.59]) setting and following Hindu religion (0.31 [0.16-0.60]) were less likely to have PTSD symptoms compared with children from suburban areas and those following Buddhist religion. CONCLUSION: PTSD symptoms were prevalent among children of Nepal more than a year following the earthquake. Family-level indicators cannot be excluded when studying children's trauma reactions. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:486-492).
OBJECTIVE: The 2015 earthquake in Nepal affected the country in terms of economy, and by causing damage and stress reactions. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and determine individual child- and family-level predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Kathmandu district 15 months after the earthquake. Multistage cluster sampling was adopted to collect 800 earthquake-affected children aged 7-16 years and a face-to-face interview was conducted. Trauma exposure questionnaire and ChildPTSD Symptoms Scale were used for assessment of the level of exposure and PTSD symptoms. Multilevel generalized linear regression analysis was used to explore individual and family-level predictors. RESULTS: Among the children, 51% had moderate-to-severe PTSD symptoms. Children of school age (adjusted odds ratio=2.83 [1.45-5.49]), those attending lower-secondary school (2.26 [1.21-4.21]), those having a higher exposure to the severity of the earthquake, and those with low psychosocial acuity [1.70 (1.10-2.60)] were more likely to have more severe PTSD symptoms compared with those who were adolescents and in higher-secondary school, whereas children from a family living in an urban (0.33 [0.19-0.59]) setting and following Hindu religion (0.31 [0.16-0.60]) were less likely to have PTSD symptoms compared with children from suburban areas and those following Buddhist religion. CONCLUSION:PTSD symptoms were prevalent among children of Nepal more than a year following the earthquake. Family-level indicators cannot be excluded when studying children's trauma reactions. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:486-492).
Entities:
Keywords:
children and family; earthquake; post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms
Authors: Jessica S Schwind; Clara B Formby; Susan L Santangelo; Stephanie A Norman; Rebecca Brown; Rebecca Hoffman Frances; Elisabeth Koss; Dibesh Karmacharya Journal: Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health Date: 2018-12-20 Impact factor: 3.033