Psychological consequences of the 1998 landslide in Sarno, Italy: a community study
- 1 December 2001
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
- Vol. 104 (6), 438-442
- https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.00512.x
Abstract
Objective: This community study assessed the prevalence of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the psychosocial consequences of the landslide which occurred in Sarno, Southern Italy, in May 1998. Method: A random sample (n=272) of the population living in the highest risk area of Sarno, and a control group recruited in a small town situated near the disaster area, but not affected by the event, were assessed 1 year after the disaster by standardized instruments. Results: Of the subjects recruited in Sarno, 27.6% met DSM‐IV criteria for PTSD; 59% subjects recruited in Sarno and 35% of the control group were identified as ‘probable cases’ by the GHQ‐30 (P<0.0001). Subjects recruited in Sarno had significantly higher scores on the four GHQ‐30 subscales identified by factor analysis. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the negative impact of a natural catastrophic event on mental health, and the need for preventive interventions.Keywords
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