Abstract
Background: Studies of short- and long-term mental effects of natural disasters have reported a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress. Less is known about disaster-exposed tourists repatriated to stable societies. Aims: To examine the association between exposure to the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami and symptoms of post-traumatic stress in three Scandinavian tourist populations. Methods: Postal survey of Norwegian, Danish and Swedish Southeast Asia tourists registered by the police when arriving at national airports. Follow-up time was 6 (Norway), 10 (Denmark) and 14 months (Sweden) post-disaster; 6772 individuals were included and categorized according to disaster exposure: danger exposed (caught or chased by the waves), non-danger exposed (other disaster-related stressors) and non-exposed. Outcome measures were the Impact of Event ScaleRevised (IES-R) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List (PCL). Results: Danger exposed reported more post-traumatic stress than non-danger exposed, and the latter reported more symptoms than non-exposed (each P<0.001). Comparison of the Norwegian and Swedish data suggested that symptoms were attenuated at 14 months follow-up (P<0.001). Female gender and low education, but not age, predicted higher levels of symptoms. Conclusions: Disaster-exposed tourists repatriated to unaffected home environments show long-term post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms related to the severity of exposure.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Nordic Journal of Psychiatry |
| Volume | 65 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 9-15 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| ISSN | 0803-9488 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Feb 2011 |
Keywords
- Adult
- Asia, Southeastern
- Disasters
- Educational Status
- Environmental Exposure
- Female
- Humans
- Life Change Events
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Questionnaires
- Scandinavia
- Severity of Illness Index
- Sex Factors
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
- Time Factors
- Transportation of Patients
- Travel
- Tsunamis