The presence of post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms in earthquake survivors one month after a mudslide in southwest China

Abstract

The psychological impact of a mudslide on survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake in China and the risk factors for development of disaster‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were investigated. The study design was cross‐sectional and included 1321 survivors who had endured both an earthquake and a mudslide. Participants filled out a self‐report questionnaire. One month after the mudslide, the rate of PTSD symptoms was 18.7%. Females, the elderly, those with lower educational levels, those that lacked social support, those who did not take precautionary measures, those living with children below 6 years of age, and those who had higher exposure to traumatic events experienced a higher level of PTSD symptoms. Results indicated that timely rescue, abundant material help, and mental rehabilitation after a disaster play important roles in recovery, and that there are still some high‐risk groups that need attention, care, and effective intervention from healthcare professionals and society.