Post-traumatic stress and depression following a landslide linked to the 2018 floods in Kerala, India: relevance of screening
Author
Kumar, Manoj TherayilKar, Nilamadhab
Namboodiri, Vasudevan
Joy, Aloka
Sreeenivasan, Dhanya
Kumar, Sebind
Bortel, Tine Van
Publication date
2023Subject
Mental health
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
There is scant information on early manifestation of trauma due to catastrophic natural events and its relation with stress-related disorders. The specific objective of this study was to estimate and compare the prevalence of post-traumatic stress and depression on day 3 (D3) and week 6 (W6) following the 2018 flood in Kerala, India. In a cross-sectional study, symptoms of post-traumatic stress and depression were studied at D3 using primary care Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder screen for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) (PC-PTSD-5), and then at W6 using PC-PTSD-5, Screening Questionnaire for Disaster Mental Health, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and Becks Depression Inventory. Majority (70 percent) were screen positive at D3 (n = 20) compared with 30 percent at W6 (n = 50), with a decreased frequency of all symptoms. Being PC-PTSD-5 screen positive at W6 was significantly associated with the presence of threat to life, physical injury, and death of relatives or neighbors. According to PCL-5, at W6, 46 percent had possible PTSD. Except damage to property, other disaster related or sociodemographic variables were not associated with the risk of having PTSD. Positive predictive value of PC-PTSD-5 (D3) for PTSD (PCL-5) at W6 was 64.3 percent. Depression and possibility of PTSD were significantly associated. A considerable proportion of victims continued to have post-traumatic stress and depression although the -frequency decreased over time. A simple screening measure may help to identify victims with possible PTSD.Citation
Kumar MT, Kar N, Namboodiri V, Joy A, Sreeenivasan D, Kumar S, Bortel TV. Post-traumatic stress and depression following a landslide linked to the 2018 floods in Kerala, India: Relevance of screening. J Emerg Manag. 2023 Jan-Feb;21(1):85-96. doi: 10.5055/jem.0728. PMID: 36779924.Type
ArticleDOI
10.5055/jem.0728PMID
36779924Journal
Journal of Emergency ManagementPublisher
Prime National Publishing Corporationae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.5055/jem.0728