Mental health disorders after disasters caused by natural hazards
Citation: Keya TA, Leela A, Habib N, et al. Mental health disorders due to disaster exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cureus. 2023;15(4):e37031.
Language: Abstract and full text available in EN.
Free to view: Yes.
Funding sources: Nothing noted.
What is this? In this systematic review, the authors searched for studies about the impact of disasters caused by natural hazards on mental health. They searched in December 2022 for articles published in English between 1985 and 2022. The authors found 22 studies on storms (9), floods (9), earthquakes (3) and combined earthquake and tsunami (1).
What was found? The authors found that disasters caused by natural hazards were associated with an increased risk of mental disorders in the general population, particularly generalised anxiety disorder, depression, substance use, adjustment disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Unemployment, reduced income, and pre-existing medical conditions contributed to the prevalence of psychological distress.
Implications: The authors of the review stated that the influence of disasters caused by natural hazards on mental health was uneven between countries. Improved access to healthcare services, community resilience, and mitigation plans can help to address the impact of disasters caused by natural hazards on vulnerable populations.
Other considerations: The authors of the review discussed their findings in the context of socioeconomic status, place of residence, age, and gender.
This summary was prepared by Eszter Szocs, checked by Grace Meng, and finalized by William Summerskill.