The effects of relocation and level of affectedness on mood and anxiety symptom treatments after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake

Noncompliance with Hypertension Treatment and Related Factors among Kumamoto Earthquake Victims Who Experienced the COVID-19 Pandemic during Postearthquake Recovery Period

Survivors of the Kumamoto earthquake of 2016 experienced the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak while carrying additional burdens that might bring inadequate coping. This cross-sectional survey aimed to identify untreated and interrupted consultations among those with hypertension and related factors and to identify the disaster's long-term effects. Of the 19,212 earthquake survivors who had moved to permanent housing, 7367 (4196 women and 3171 men, mean age 61.8 ± 17.3 years) completed a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of hypertension was 41.4%. The results of the logistic regression analysis with the significant independent variables in the bivariate analysis were: reduced income due to COVID-19 (AOR = 3.23, 95%CI = 2.27-4.58) and poor self-rated health (AOR = 2.49, 95%CI = 1.72-3.61) were associated with a risk of untreated or discontinued treatment. Moreover, living in rental, public or restoration public housing was also significantly associated with a higher risk of hypertension noncompliance (AOR = 1.92, 95%CI = 1.20-3.07; AOR = 2.47, 95%CI = 1.38-4.42; AOR = 4.12, 95%CI = 1.14-14.90). These results suggest that changes due to COVID-19, the extent of self-rated health and the type of permanent housing influence the hypertension consulting behaviour of earthquake survivors during recovery. It is crucial to implement long-term public support for the mental health, income and housing concerns of the survivors.

Depression, Insomnia, and Probable Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Survivors of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake and Related Factors during the Recovery Period Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aftereffects of the severe 2016 Kumamoto earthquake were complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify mental health problems and related factors among survivors five years after the earthquake and clarify its long-term effects. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2020 among 19,212 survivors affected by the earthquake who moved from temporary to permanent housing. We analysed 8966 respondents (5135 women, 3831 men; mean age 62.25 ± 17.29 years). Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine associations between mental health problems and socioeconomic factors. Prevalence rates of psychological distress, insomnia, and probable post-traumatic stress disorder were 11.9%, 35.2%, and 4.1%, respectively. Female gender (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.13–1.57; OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.08–1.34; OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.41–2.32), public housing (OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.63–2.83; OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.26–1.88; OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.62–3.58), loneliness (OR = 9.08, 95% CI = 7.71–10.70; OR = 5.55, 95% CI = 4.90–6.30; OR = 3.52, 95% CI = 2.77–4.49), COVID-19-induced activity reduction (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.19–1.66; OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.68–2.07; OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.40–2.31), and COVID-19-induced income reduction (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.12–1.57; OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.28–1.59; OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.51–2.43) were significantly associated with mental health problems. These results suggest that gender, current housing, loneliness, and COVID-19 affected the survivors’ mental health during recovery.

Can parkland mitigate mental health burden imposed by the COVID-19? A national study in China

The worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has seriously affected not only physical health but also mental wellbeing (i.e mental stress and suicide intention) of numerous urban inhabitants across the globe. While many studies have elucidated urban parkland enhances and mental wellbeing of urban residents, the potential for parkland to mitigate mental health burden imposed by the COVID-19 has received no attention. This nationwide study systematically explored the association between parkland, the COVID-19 pandemic situation and mental wellbeing from 296 cities in China. The study innovatively used big data from Baidu Search Engine to assess city-level mental wellbeing, thereby enabling comparisons among cities. The results show that the provision of parkland is positively associated with mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 epidemic. For COVID-19-related indicators, the geographical distance to Wuhan city, work resumption rate, and travel intensity within the city are also positively associated with mental wellbeing, while the number of COVID-19 infections and the proportion of migrants from Hubei Province for each city are negatively associated with mental wellbeing. Last, the most important finding is that parkland reduces the negative effect of COVID-19 on mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 epidemic. To achieve the goal of promoting mental wellbeing through urban planning and design during the future pandemics, policymakers and planners are advised to provide more well-maintained and accessible parkland and encourage residents to use them with proper precautions.

Are climate change and mental health correlated?

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time and is likely to affect human beings in substantial ways. Recently, researchers started paying more attention to the changes in climate and their subsequent impact on the social, environmental and economic determinants of health, and the role they play in causing or exacerbating mental health problems. The effects of climate change-related events on mental well-being could be classified into direct and indirect effects. The direct effects of climate change mostly occur after acute weather events and include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, substance abuse disorder, depression and even suicidal ideation. The indirect effects include economic losses, displacement and forced migration, competition over scarce resources and collective violence. The risk factors for developing those mental health issues include young age, female gender, low socioeconomic status, loss or injury of a loved one, being a member of immigrant groups or indigenous people, pre-existing mental illness and inadequate social support. However, in some individuals, especially those undisturbed by any directly observable effects of climate change, abstract awareness and acknowledgement of the ongoing climate crisis can induce negative emotions that can be intense enough to cause mental health illness. Coping strategies should be provided to the affected communities to protect their mental health from collapse in the face of climate disasters. Awareness of the mental health impacts of climate change should be raised, especially in the high-risk groups. Social and global attention to the climate crisis and its detrimental effects on mental health are crucial.

This paper was written with the aim of trying to understand the currently, scientifically proven impact of climate change-related disasters on mental health and understanding the different methods of solving the problem at the corporate level, by trying to decrease greenhouse gas emissions to zero, and at the individual level by learning how to cope with the impacts of those disasters.

The Mass Media Used by University Students for Becoming Informed about Disaster News and the Effects of Disaster News on Quaternary Victimization: The Example of Burdur Province in Turkey

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mass media used by university students to become informed about disaster news and the impact of disaster news on quaternary victimization. This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study. The universe of the study consisted of 20,681 students studying at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, while the sample consisted of 1320 (1290) students. The quaternary effects of disasters on them were measured using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSQW). Independent samples test and One-way ANOVA test were used in the data analysis. When the students watched disaster news in the media, they had worries for Turkey (12.5%), anxiety (11.2%), the thought of what would i do (13.4%), and a desire to help (12.6%). The students often used mass media to become informed about disaster news. The students were directly affected by the news they watched and thus they often felt worry, restlessness, thought about what they would do, and felt a desire to help.

Threats to Mental Health and Well-Being Associated with Climate Change

Climate change is a contributor to extreme weather events and natural disasters. The mental health effects of climate change are multifaceted, with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression predominant. This paper aims to describe the impact of climate change on mental health conditions, including risk and protective factors related to the expression of mental health conditions post-disaster, as well as a discussion of our local experience with a devastating wildfire to our region within Canada. The risk of the development of mental health conditions post-disaster is not equally distributed; research has consistently demonstrated that specific risk factors (e.g., gender, socioeconomic status and education, pre-existing mental health symptomatology), are associated with increased vulnerability to mental health conditions following natural disasters. There are multiple strategies that must be undertaken by communities to enhance adjustment and coping post-disaster, including improved access to care, inter-agency cooperation, enhanced community resiliency, and adequate preparation.

A systematic review of the psychological impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes on mental health

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to identify and evaluate all studies that measured psychological distress or mental disorder following the Canterbury earthquakes to establish the psychological consequences of the earthquakes on those exposed. A secondary aim is to outline and emphasise key methodological factors in disaster research.

METHOD

Eligible studies were identified following a comprehensive literature search. A quality assessment was undertaken for all included studies. This was followed by methodological and descriptive review.

RESULTS

Thirty-one papers measuring psychological distress or mental disorder following the Canterbury earthquakes were identified. These papers reported outcomes from 20 separate studies of which seven were rated high-quality, eight were rated medium and five were rated low-quality. Key methodological findings and outcomes are discussed for each study.

CONCLUSION

The Canterbury earthquakes were associated with widespread but not universal adverse effects on mental health. Disaster research quality is assisted by representative samples, repeated measures, and the use of appropriate controls to allow accurate assessments of psychological consequences to be made. Implications for public health: The presence of widespread adverse effects as a result of the earthquakes suggests broad-ranging community initiatives are essential to mitigate the negative consequences of disasters.

Mental health impacts of flooding: a controlled interrupted time series analysis of prescribing data in England

BACKGROUND

There is emerging evidence that people affected by flooding suffer adverse impacts on their mental well-being, mostly based on self-reports.

METHODS

We examined prescription records for drugs used in the management of common mental disorder among primary care practices located in the vicinity of recent large flood events in England, 2011-2014. A controlled interrupted time series analysis was conducted of the number of prescribing items for antidepressant drugs in the year before and after the flood onset. Pre-post changes were compared by distance of the practice from the inundated boundaries among 930 practices located within 10 km of a flood.

RESULTS

After control for deprivation and population density, there was an increase of 0.59% (95% CI 0.24 to 0.94) prescriptions in the postflood year among practices located within 1 km of a flood over and above the change observed in the furthest distance band. The increase was greater in more deprived areas.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests an increase in prescribed antidepressant drugs in the year after flooding in primary care practices close to recent major floods in England. The degree to which the increase is actually concentrated in those flooded can only be determined by more detailed linkage studies.

Synergising Public Health Concepts with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Conceptual Glossary

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015) is a global strategy for addressing disaster risk and resilience that has been ratified by member countries of the United Nations. Its guiding principles emphasise building resilience through inter-sectoral collaboration, as well as partnerships that facilitate community empowerment and address underlying risk factors. Both public health and the emergency management sector face similar challenges related to developing and implementing strategies that involve structural change, facilitating community resilience and addressing individual risk factors. Familiarity with public health principles enables an understanding of the holistic approach to risk reduction that is outlined within the Sendai Framework. We present seven concepts that resonate with contemporary public health practice, namely: the social determinants of health; inequality and inequity; the inverse care law; community-based and community development approaches; hard to reach communities and services; the prevention paradox; and the inverse prevention law. These ideas from public health provide a useful conceptual base for the "new" agenda in disaster risk management that underpins the 2015 Sendai Framework. The relevance of these ideas to disaster risk management and research is illustrated through drawing on the Sendai Framework, disaster literature and exemplars from the 2010-2011 earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Spatially Enabling the Health Sector

Spatial information describes the physical location of either people or objects, and the measured relationships between them. In this article, we offer the view that greater utilization of spatial information and its related technology, as part of a broader redesign of the architecture of health information at local and national levels, could assist and speed up the process of health reform, which is taking place across the globe in richer and poorer countries alike. In making this point, we describe the impetus for health sector reform, recent developments in spatial information and analytics, and current Australasian spatial health research. We highlight examples of uptake of spatial information by the health sector, as well as missed opportunities. Our recommendations to spatially enable the health sector are applicable to high- and low-resource settings.

Predictors of severe psychological distress trajectory after nuclear disaster: evidence from the Fukushima Health Management Survey

OBJECTIVES

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, which occurred after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011, may have a considerable long-term impact on the lives of area residents. The aims of this study were to determine the trajectories of psychological distress using 3-year consecutive data, and to find predictive factors of severe distress that may also prove useful for public health intervention.

METHODS

Data were obtained on 12 371 residents who were registered in the municipalities categorised as complete evacuation areas for 3 years after the disaster and who completed an assessment in each of the 3 years.

RESULTS

Using group-based trajectory modelling, we identified four trajectory patterns distinguished by the levels of psychological distress, which gradually improved over time in all trajectories. Subjective sleep insufficiency, problem drinking, poor social support and perception of radiation risk 3 years after the accident were associated with the severity of psychological distress, according to the multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified factors may be useful for community-based mental healthcare over the long term following a nuclear disaster.

The effects of spatially varying earthquake impacts on mood and anxiety symptom treatments among long-term Christchurch residents following the 2010/11 Canterbury earthquakes, New Zealand

This study investigates the effects of disruptions to different community environments, community resilience and cumulated felt earthquake intensities on yearly mood and anxiety symptom treatments from the New Zealand Ministry of Health's administrative databases between September 2009 and August 2012. The sample includes 172,284 long-term residents from different Christchurch communities. Living in a better physical environment was associated with lower mood and anxiety treatment rates after the beginning of the Canterbury earthquake sequence whereas an inverse effect could be found for social community environment and community resilience. These results may be confounded by pre-existing patterns, as well as intensified treatment-seeking behaviour and intervention programmes in severely affected areas. Nevertheless, the findings indicate that adverse mental health outcomes can be found in communities with worse physical but stronger social environments or community resilience post-disaster. Also, they do not necessarily follow felt intensities since cumulative earthquake intensity did not show a significant effect.