Health Status and Risk Factors among Adolescent Survivors One Month after the 2014 Ludian Earthquake

A comparative examination of the health status of earthquake-affected and non-earthquake-affected adolescents in Yushu

Background

Yushu, Qinghai Province, which is located in the remote Tibetan Plateau in western China, was struck by a disastrous earthquake in 2010.

Methods

This study aimed to compare the health status of adolescents who had (Exp-Group) and had not (Non-Group) experienced the Yushu earthquake, 7 years after it occurred; additionally, group-specific predictors of health status were identified. A cross-sectional study was adopted among students from two junior schools in Yushu, whereby two groups were compared. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, Kruskal-Wallis H tests, and stepwise linear regression were used to analyze data.

Results

Exp-Group scored higher than Non-Group on Physiological Component Summary (PCS) but not on Mental Component Summary (MCS). Among Exp-Group participants, lower PCS scores were predicted for "house damaged," "injured," "family member injured," and "family member or friend dead." Lower MCS scores were predicted by "family member or friend dead." Among Non-Group participants, PCS scores were predicted by "residence" and "family member or friend dead." Lower MCS scores were predicted by "not living with parents."

Conclusion

Lower PCS and MCS scores of Exp-Group adolescents mainly contributed to earthquake-related injuries, while lower PCS and MCS scores of Non-Group are related to poor living conditions and the fact of the left-behind child.

Suicide Death Rate after Disasters: A Meta-Analysis Study

BACKGROUND

Disasters have undesirable effects on health among individuals such as psychosocial disorders which may lead lead to suicide in some cases. Thus, the present study aimed to measure the rate of suicide death after disasters all over the world.

METHODS

In the present meta-analysis study, all of the articles published in English until the end of 2019 were probed in electronic databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and Google Scholar. Then, the data were imported to STATA ver.13 software and analyzed through fixed- and random-effects models, meta-regression, and Cochrane statistical tests.

RESULTS

A total of 11 studies including a sample size of 65495867 were considered. Suicide death rates before and after the disasters were calculated as 13.61 (CI95%: 11.59-15.77) vs. 16.68 (CI95%: 14.5-19:0) among the whole population, 28.36 (CI 95%:11.29-45.43) vs. 32.17 (CI95%: 17.71-46.62) among men, and 12.71 (CI95%: 5.98-19.44) vs 12.69 (CI95%: 5.17-20.21) among women. The rate of suicide death significantly increased in the whole population and men, while no significant difference was reported among women.

CONCLUSION

Suicide death rate increases after disasters indicating the destructive impact of this phenomenon on peoples' health. Therefore, implementing supportive and interventional measures is highly suggested after disasters in order to prevent suicide death among the affected people.

A senior high school-based survey on the long-term impact of the Wenchuan earthquake on survivors' quality of life: PTSD as a mediator

Previous earthquake-related studies mostly focused on the prevalence and risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and there are only a few articles on the subsequent long-term outcomes of earthquakes. This study aimed to investigate the long-term impact of the Wenchuan earthquake on the quality of life (QOL) of surviving senior high school students 2-3 years post-disaster and to clarify whether PTSD was a mediator in the relationship of earthquake-related exposure and QOL. The study collected 1031 survivors' self-report questionnaires on socio-demographic data, earthquake-related experiences, PTSD symptoms (PCL-C), and QOL (WHOQOL-BREF). The results showed that earthquake-related exposure experiences were negatively associated with QOL scores, and the severity of PTSD symptoms was significantly and negatively related to QOL scores. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis showed that earthquake-related exposure was directly related to the severity of PTSD symptoms, while insignificantly directly related to QOL. Therefore, earthquake-related exposure was indirectly related to QOL (totally mediated by severity of PTSD symptoms). PTSD was a mediator in the relationship between earthquake-related exposure and QOL among adolescents: earthquake-related exposure affected the survivors' QOL mainly mediated by the PTSD symptoms that developed. Therefore, to improve the QOL of the survivors after an earthquake, more attention should be paid to survivors who have PTSD symptoms.

Health status of adolescents in the Tibetan plateau area of western China: 6 years after the Yushu earthquake

Background

An earthquake struck Yushu in Qinghai province of China on April 14, 2010, causing 2698 deaths and 12,135 injuries.The present study aimed to assess the health status, and associated determinants, of child survivors in the epicenter of the Yushu earthquake 6 years after the event.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was performed among students from two junior schools in Yushu County. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, Kruskal-Wallis H tests and stepwise linear regression analysis were used for data analysis.

Results

The mean scores onmental component summary (MCS)and physical component summary (PCS) were 42.13 (SD 7.32) and 42.04 (SD 8.07), respectively. Lower PCS in the aftermath of an earthquake was associated with being trapped/in danger, injured to self, receiving no escape training while lowerMCS in the aftermath of an earthquake was associated with a lower grade level, not living with parents, fear during the earthquake, death in the family, and not receiving psychological counseling after the earthquake.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the results of the present study help to expand our knowledge regarding the health status of child survivors 6 years after the Yushu earthquake. Our study provides evidence-based suggestions for specific long-term health interventions in such vulnerable populations.

Long-term psychological consequences among adolescent survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake in China: A cross-sectional survey six years after the disaster

BACKGROUND

Most epidemiological studies on adolescent survivors' mental health have been conducted within 2 years after the disaster. Longer-term psychological consequences remain unclear. This study explored psychological symptoms in secondary school students who were living in Sichuan province 6 years after the Wenchuan earthquake.

METHODS

A secondary data analysis was performed on data from a final survey of survivors conducted 6 years after the Wenchuan earthquake as part of the five-year mental health and psychosocial support project. A total of 2641 participants were divided into three groups, according to the level of traumatic experience exposure during the earthquake (0, 1, and 2 or more). ANCOVA was used to compare the mean scores of the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) among the three groups, adjusting for covariates such as age, gender, ethnicity, having a sibling, parents' divorce, and socio-economic status. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify relationships between the traumatic experiences and suicidality after the disaster.

RESULTS

Having two or more kinds of traumatic experiences was associated with higher psychological symptom scores on the SCL-90 (Cohen's d=0.23-0.33) and suicidal ideation (OR 1.98, 95% CIs:1.35-2.89) and attempts (OR 3.32, 95% CIs:1.65-6.68), as compared with having no traumatic experience.

LIMITATIONS

Causality cannot be inferred from this cross-sectional survey, and results may not generalize to other populations due to convenience sampling.

CONCLUSIONS

Severely traumatized adolescent survivors of the earthquake may suffer from psychological symptoms even 6 years after the disaster. Long-term psychological support will be needed for these individuals.