Psychological Reactions and Physical Trauma by Types of Disasters: View from Man-Made Disaster

Da Young Lee; Joonho Na; Minyoung Sim

doi:10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.3.261

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Lee, Na, and Sim: Psychological Reactions and Physical Trauma by Types of Disasters: View from Man-Made Disaster

Special Issue

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2015; 54(3): 261-268.

Published online: 21 August 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.3.261

Psychological Reactions and Physical Trauma by Types of Disasters: View from Man-Made Disaster

Da Young Lee, MD^1,^2,^*, Joonho Na, MD^3,^*, Minyoung Sim, MD, PhD^1,²

¹Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

²Center for Crisis Mental Health Management, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

³Department of Emergency Medicine, Asan Chungmu Hospital, Asan, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Minyoung Sim, MD, PhD. Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Seoul National Hospital, 398 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 04933, Korea. Tel +82-2-2204-0327, Fax +82-2-2204-0394, mdsim@hanmail.net

Equal contributor:

*These authors contributed equally to this work.

Received 27 April 2015 Revised 13 May 2015 Accepted 20 May 2015

Abstract

A variety of psychological and physical symptoms may appear in disaster victims. The type of disaster as well as individual factors could affect the pattern and severity of symptoms. Several reports have shown that fire survivors suffered from survivor guilt, re-experience, and fear of fire and burn scars associated with depressive symptoms. Inhalation burns are of special interest because of the possibility of delayed systemic complications. Large traffic accident causes more frequent and severe post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), particularly intrusive thoughts, compared to general road traffic accident. Traumatic brain injury and serious physical injuries could increase the PTSS expression. Considering that tragic collapse accidents occurred mainly as a result of careless construction, anger and mistrust are understandable. Legal disputes and compensation issues can provoke social conflict and prolonged suffering. Understanding the psychological characteristics and responses will be required in order to support the mental health of disaster victims.

Keywords: Disaster, Trauma, Post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Summary of studies assessing psychiatric complications after traffic accidents

DSM : Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IES : The Impact of Event Scale, BDI : Beck Depression Inventory, PTSD : post-traumatic stress disorder

Table 2

Summary of studies assessing psychiatric complications after traffic accidents

DSM : Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IES : The Impact of Event Scale, BDI : Beck Depression Inventory, PTSD : post-traumatic stress disorder

Table 3

Summary of studies assessing psychiatric complications after collapse

PTSD-I : PTSD Interview, IES : The Impact of Event Scale, HDS : Hamilton Depression Scale, HAS : Hamilton Anxiety Scale, STAI : State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, WHODAS : WHO Disability Assessment Schedule, CIDI : Composite International Diagnostic Interview, GHQ : General Health Questionnaire

Notes

^{Conflicts of Interest} The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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