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Park, Ahn, and Park: Quantitative Analysis of Providers' Experiences in the Disaster Behavioral Health Services of South Korea
Original Article

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2016; 55(2): 131-139.

Published online: 31 May 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2016.55.2.131

Quantitative Analysis of Providers' Experiences in the Disaster Behavioral Health Services of South Korea

Sung-Yong Park, MD1, Hyun-Nie Ahn, PhD2, Joo Eon Park, MD, PhD1

1Department of Psychiatry, Keyo Hospital, Uiwang, Korea.

2Department of Psychology, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Joo Eon Park, MD, PhD. Department of Psychiatry, Keyo Hospital, 15 Ojeon-ro, Uiwang 16062, Korea. Tel: +82-31-455-3333, Fax: +82-31-452-4110, jooeon.park@gmail.com

Received 22 March 2016       Revised 4 April 2016       Accepted 25 April 2016

Copyright © 2016 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Abstract

Objectives

This study was conducted to quantify the six dimensions of obstacles to disaster behavioral health (DBH), which was explored through the previous Qualitative Content Analysis of field workers' experiences after the Sewol Ferry accident and to determine the preference and significance of the details of every dimension.

Methods

Based on the six dimensions and their details, structured questionnaires were devised. The field workers as DBH service providers were requested to choose not only the most urgent item but also the reason for their choice. For the statistical analysis, the field workers were grouped by age, employment period, place of employment, occupation, mental health professional certificate, and experience and education of DBH interventions. Differences of the groups were analyzed using chi-square test.

Results

The questionnaires were distributed to 284 field workers for DBH, and a total of 79 usable questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Out of six dimensions, 43% of the field workers primarily suffered from difficulties in vertical relations of the administration system. Vague policy on DBH was the most challenging in difficulties in vertical relations of administration system (32.9%). The details of the other 5 dimensions were also discovered. Several significant differences were identified among groups according to the structured questionnaires.

Conclusion

This study identifies the six dimensions and their significance as obstacles to DBH services. It may make a contribution to improving laws and systems when deciding on related policies and sorting out urgent problems.

Keywords: Disaster behavioral health, Mental health policy, Public mental health

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Demographic characteristics of the subjects (n=79)

jkna-55-131-i001
Table 2

Six dimensions of obstacles to disaster behavioral health

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Table 3

Comparisons of the groups preference about the six dimensions and subcomponents of obstacles to disaster behavioral health

jkna-55-131-i003

Data are presented as χ2 (p). * : p<0.05. DBHI : Disaster behavioral health interventions

Table 4

Difficulties in vertical relations of administration system

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Table 5

Difficulties in cooperative relations among related organizations

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Table 6

Difficulties of intra-organizational dimension

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Table 7

Difficulties of the personal dimension

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Table 8

Difficulties from the distinctiveness of disaster experienced in the past

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Table 9

Difficulties in supporting victims and survivors of disasters

jkna-55-131-i009

Notes

Conflicts of Interest The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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