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Post-traumatic stress disorder amongst children aged 8-18 affected by the 2011 northern-Namibia floods

Simon Taukeni1, George Chitiyo2, Morgan Chitiyo3

  • 1School of Health Sciences, University of Fort Hare, South Africa.

Jamba (Potchefstroom, South Africa)
|June 30, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Two years after the 2011 floods in Namibia, over half of school children experienced trauma symptoms. Higher rates were seen in older children, highlighting the need for psychological support following disasters.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Disaster Mental Health
  • Child Trauma

Background:

  • Extreme flooding in northern Namibia in 2011 significantly impacted school-going children.
  • The long-term psychological effects of natural disasters on child populations require thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in school children affected by the 2011 Namibian floods.
  • To identify age-related differences in trauma symptom manifestation among affected children.

Main Methods:

  • A self-administered Child Trauma Screening Questionnaire (CTSQ) was used.
  • The study included 480 school children aged 8–18 years.
  • The CTSQ assessed re-experiencing and hyper-arousal symptoms.

Main Results:

  • 55.2% of children aged 12 and below reported trauma symptoms.
  • 72.8% of children aged 13 and above reported trauma symptoms.
  • High percentages of trauma symptoms were reported 2 years post-disaster.

Conclusions:

  • The study indicates a significant and persistent psychological burden on children after extreme flooding.
  • Urgent need for psychological and emotional support services for children affected by disasters.
  • Recommendations for government and stakeholders to implement support systems for future events.

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