Different types of exposure to the 2004 tsunami are associated with different levels of psychological distress and posttraumatic stress

The impact of traumatic exposure on psychological distress and posttraumatic stress was investigated at 14 months through self‐report in 1,505 Swedish tourists who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Exposure, differentiated in single and multiple types, was associated with different levels of i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of traumatic stress 2008-10, Vol.21 (5), p.463-470
Main Authors: Wahlström, Lars, Michélsen, Hans, Schulman, Abbe, Backheden, Magnus
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Health Status
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Middle Aged
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology
Stress, Psychological
Surveys and Questionnaires
Sweden
Tidal Waves
Travel
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Summary:The impact of traumatic exposure on psychological distress and posttraumatic stress was investigated at 14 months through self‐report in 1,505 Swedish tourists who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Exposure, differentiated in single and multiple types, was associated with different levels of impaired mental health measured by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Impact of Event Scale‐Revised (IES‐R). Additionally, having sole exposure to subjective life threat brought about specific psychological effects. Some demographic factors are associated with outcome on either the GHQ or the IES‐R. Identifying specific types of exposure of disaster survivors may be a way to identify individuals who could be screened for psychological ill health at a later point in time.
ISSN:0894-9867
1573-6598
1573-6598
DOI:10.1002/jts.20360