Psychiatric reactions to disaster: the Mount St. Helens experience
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|May 1, 1986
Summary
The 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption caused significant psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. Higher exposure to the disaster correlated with increased mental health issues in affected individuals.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
- Disaster Mental Health
Background:
- The 1980 Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption was a major natural disaster.
- Understanding the psychiatric impact of such events is crucial for public health.
- Previous studies may not have fully captured the spectrum of mental health consequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders following the Mount St. Helens eruption.
- To examine the relationship between disaster exposure levels and psychiatric reactions.
- To identify specific types of mental health conditions linked to the disaster.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, a criterion-based diagnostic method.
- Conducted psychiatric epidemiologic research in the disaster area and a control community.
- Compared psychiatric outcomes across control, low-exposure, and high-exposure groups.
Main Results:
- A significant prevalence of disaster-related psychiatric disorders was identified.
- Common disorders included depression, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress reaction.
- A progressive dose-response relationship was observed between exposure level and psychiatric disorders, affecting both bereaved and property-loss victims.
Conclusions:
- Volcanic eruptions can lead to substantial psychiatric morbidity.
- Disaster exposure is a significant risk factor for developing mental health conditions.
- The Diagnostic Interview Schedule is effective for assessing psychiatric disorders in disaster populations.
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