Risk Factors of Mental Illness Among Adult Survivors After the Wenchuan Earthquake

Overview

Journal Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol

Specialties Psychiatry
Public Health
Social Sciences

Date 2012 Oct 12

PMID 23052427

Citations 13

Authors

Xiaobo Zhou

Lin Kang

Xueli Sun

Hui Song

Wenjun Mao

Xuanyin Huang

Yinghui Zhang

Jing Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: This study was to analyze the mental health status of the adults from the areas struck by the Wenchuan earthquake, to understand the factors that may have impact on their mental health after they were exposed to the earthquake, to obtain information specifically relevant to further research and future preventive measures.

Methods: We used multistage stratified random sampling methods in three areas that were severely damaged in the Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan Province, China. For this study, 14,798 individuals were identified with simple random selection methods at the sampling sites, 14,207 were screened with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and 3,692 individuals were administered a Chinese version of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-IV axis I disorders by 180 investigators.

Results: The risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder included old age, female gender, low school education and witness someone die in the earthquake (P < 0.05, 95 % CI). The risk factors for anxiety disorder included old age, female gender, low school education, living alone and witness someone die in the earthquake (P < 0.05, 95 % CI). The risk factors for depression included old age, female gender, low school education and living alone (P < 0.05, 95 % CI).

Conclusions: Given inadequate knowledge and practices concerning the mental health of disaster victims in China, the information provided by this study is useful for directing, strengthening, and evaluating disaster-related mental health needs and interventions after the earthquake.

Citing Articles

UK Biobank data demonstrate long-term exposure to floods is a risk factor for incident dementia.

Wu Y, Xu R, Gasevic D, Yang Z, Yu P, Wen B Commun Med (Lond). 2025; 5(1):71.

PMID: 40065151 PMC: 11894203. DOI: 10.1038/s43856-025-00771-4.

The impact of pandemic-related stress on attentional bias and anxiety in alexithymia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lee S, Lee K Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):6327.

PMID: 37072486 PMC: 10112327. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33326-5.

Latent classes of posttraumatic stress disorder among survivors of the Bam Earthquake after 17 years.

Abolhadi E, Divsalar P, Mosleh-Shirazi M, Dehesh T BMC Psychiatry. 2022; 22(1):603.

PMID: 36088363 PMC: 9464409. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04216-3.

The role of alexithymia and perceived stress in mental health responses to COVID-19: A conditional process model.

Li R, Kajanoja J, Lindblom J, Korja R, Karlsson L, Karlsson H J Affect Disord. 2022; 306:9-18.

PMID: 35304231 PMC: 8923745. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.024.

The Association Between Financial Hardship and Mental Health Difficulties Among Adult Wage Earners During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Sultana M, Khan A, Hossain S, Islam T, Hasan M, Ahmed H Front Psychiatry. 2021; 12:635884.

PMID: 34616314 PMC: 8488168. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.635884.

References

Fan F, Zhang Y, Yang Y, Mo L, Liu X . Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety among adolescents following the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. J Trauma Stress. 2011; 24(1):44-53. DOI: 10.1002/jts.20599. View

Meltzer H, Bebbington P, Dennis M, Jenkins R, McManus S, Brugha T . Feelings of loneliness among adults with mental disorder. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012; 48(1):5-13. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-012-0515-8. View

Farhood L, Dimassi H . Prevalence and predictors for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and general health in a population from six villages in South Lebanon. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2011; 47(4):639-49. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-011-0368-6. View

Bener A, Ghuloum S, Abou-Saleh M . Prevalence, symptom patterns and comorbidity of anxiety and depressive disorders in primary care in Qatar. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2011; 47(3):439-46. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-011-0349-9. View

Wang M, Yuan J, Li T, Wang D, Hu Z, Liu J . [Prevalence and risk factors for anxiety among inhabitants in the relief centers after the 5 *12 Sichuan earthquake]. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2009; 29(9):887-90. View

Bhasin S, Sharma R, Saini N . Depression, anxiety and stress among adolescent students belonging to affluent families: a school-based study. Indian J Pediatr. 2009; 77(2):161-5. DOI: 10.1007/s12098-009-0260-5. View

Yahav R, Cohen M . Symptoms of acute stress in Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens during the Second Lebanon War. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2007; 42(10):830-6. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-007-0237-5. View

Xu J, Xie L, Li B, Li N, Yang Y . Anxiety symptoms among children after the Wenchuan earthquake in China. Nord J Psychiatry. 2012; 66(5):349-54. DOI: 10.3109/08039488.2011.650197. View

Lee J . Pathways from education to depression. J Cross Cult Gerontol. 2011; 26(2):121-35. DOI: 10.1007/s10823-011-9142-1. View

10.

Abdul Kadir N, Bifulco A . Vulnerability, life events and depression amongst Moslem Malaysian women: comparing those married and those divorced or separated. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010; 46(9):853-62. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-010-0249-4. View

11.

Lewinsohn P, Gotlib I, Lewinsohn M, Seeley J, Allen N . Gender differences in anxiety disorders and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. J Abnorm Psychol. 1998; 107(1):109-17. DOI: 10.1037//0021-843x.107.1.109. View

12.

Carr V, Lewin T, Webster R, Kenardy J . A synthesis of the findings from the Quake Impact Study: a two-year investigation of the psychosocial sequelae of the 1989 Newcastle earthquake. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1997; 32(3):123-36. DOI: 10.1007/BF00794611. View

13.

Neria Y, Nandi A, Galea S . Post-traumatic stress disorder following disasters: a systematic review. Psychol Med. 2007; 38(4):467-80. PMC: 4877688. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291707001353. View

14.

Zhang Y, Ho S . Risk factors of posttraumatic stress disorder among survivors after the 512 Wenchuan earthquake in China. PLoS One. 2011; 6(7):e22371. PMC: 3143136. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022371. View

15.

Vazquez-Barquero J, Diez Manrique J, Munoz J, Menendez Arango J, Gaite L, Herrera S . Sex differences in mental illness: a community study of the influence of physical health and sociodemographic factors. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1992; 27(2):62-8. DOI: 10.1007/BF00788507. View

16.

Priebe S, Marchi F, Bini L, Flego M, Costa A, Galeazzi G . Mental disorders, psychological symptoms and quality of life 8 years after an earthquake: findings from a community sample in Italy. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010; 46(7):615-21. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-010-0227-x. View

17.

Goldberg D, Gater R, Sartorius N, Ustun T, Piccinelli M, Gureje O . The validity of two versions of the GHQ in the WHO study of mental illness in general health care. Psychol Med. 1997; 27(1):191-7. DOI: 10.1017/s0033291796004242. View

18.

Naeem F, Ayub M, Masood K, Gul H, Khalid M, Farrukh A . Prevalence and psychosocial risk factors of PTSD: 18 months after Kashmir earthquake in Pakistan. J Affect Disord. 2010; 130(1-2):268-74. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2010.10.035. View

19.

Thapa S, Hauff E . Psychological distress among displaced persons during an armed conflict in Nepal. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2005; 40(8):672-9. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-005-0943-9. View

20.

Priebe S, Grappasonni I, Mari M, Dewey M, Petrelli F, Costa A . Posttraumatic stress disorder six months after an earthquake: findings from a community sample in a rural region in Italy. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2008; 44(5):393-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-008-0441-y. View