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Comparative Study of Psychiatric Morbidity among the Displaced and Non-Displaced Populations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands following the Tsunami

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Suresh Bada Math ,
John P. John ,
Satish Chandra Girimaji ,
Vivek Benegal ,
Biju Sunny ,
K. Krishnakanth ,
Uday Kumar GS ,
Ameer Hamza ,
Shweta Tandon  and
Kavitha Jangam
...Show all authors
Suresh Bada Math*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
John P. John
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Satish Chandra Girimaji
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Vivek Benegal
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Biju Sunny
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
K. Krishnakanth
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Uday Kumar GS
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Ameer Hamza
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Shweta Tandon
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Kavitha Jangam
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
K.S. Meena
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
Biju Chandramukhi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
D. Nagaraja
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University), Bangalore, India
*
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Department of Psychiatry National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, (Deemed University) Bangalore, 560 029 India E-mail: nimhans@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objective:

The objective of this study was to compare the psychiatric morbidity between the displaced and non-displaced populations of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the first three months following the 2004 earthquake and tsunami.

Methods:

The study was conducted at the 74 relief camps in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Port Blair had 12 camps, which provided shelter to 4,684 displaced survivors. There were 62 camps on Car-Nicobar Island, which provided shelter to approximately 8,100 survivors who continued to stay in their habitat (non-displaced population). The study sample included all of the survivors who sought mental health assistance inside the camp. A psychiatrist diagnosed the patients using the ICD-10 criteria.

Results:

Psychiatric morbidity was 5.2% in the displaced population and 2.8% in the non-displaced population. The overall psychiatric morbidity was 3.7%. The displaced survivors had significantly higher psychiatric morbidity than did the non-displaced population.The disorders included panic disorder, anxiety disorders not otherwise specified, and somatic complaints. The existence of an adjustment disorder was significantly higher in the non-displaced survivors. Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were distributed equally in both groups.

Conclusions:

Psychiatric morbidity was found to be highest in the displaced population. However, the incidence of depression and PTSD were distributed equally in both groups. Involvement of community leaders and survivors in shared decision-making processes and culturally acceptable interventions improved the community participation. Cohesive community, family systems, social support, altruistic behavior of the community leaders, and religious faith and spirituality were factors that helped survivors cope during the early phase of the disaster.

Keywords

developing countriesdisasterearthquakehigh-risk populationmental health
Type
Research Article
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , February 2008 , pp. 29 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2008

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