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Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess socio-demographic, disaster-related, physical health-related, psychological, and social factors that may adversely affect disaster victims’ QoL (Quality of Life).
Methods
A cross sectional study was designed by using the secondary data. From the 3rd Disaster Victims Panel Survey (2012~2017), a total of 1,659 data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, and multivariate linear regression.
Results
Older people with lower health status lacking financial resources prior to a disaster were more at risk of low levels of QoL. Lower levels of perceived health status, resilience, and QoL were reported by disaster exposed individuals, while their depression was higher than the depression in the control group of disaster unexposed ones. Resilience, social and material supports were positively associated with QoL whereas depression and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders) were negatively associated.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that psychological symptoms and loss due to disasters can have adverse impacts on the QoL of disaster victims in accordance with their prior socio-demographic background. They also indicate that targeted post-disaster community nursing intervention should be considered a means of increased social support as well as physical and mental health care for disaster victims.
References
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Table 1.
General Characteristics of the Study Subjects (N=1,659)
| Variables | Characteristics | n (%) | M±SD |
Quality of life |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M±SD | t or F (p) | ||||
| Gender | Male | 820 (49.4) | 21.94±4.54 | 4.15 (＜.001) | |
| Female | 839 (50.6) | 21.01±4.58 | |||
| Age (year)† | ≤39a | 185 (11.2) | 60.87±16.83 | 23.02±5.21 | 21.41 (＜.001) |
| 40~49b | 144 (8.7) | 22.26±4.14 | a, b, c＞d | ||
| 50~59c | 351 (21.2) | 22.34±4.67 | |||
| ≥60d | 978 (59.0) | 20.75±4.34 | |||
| Marital status† | Singlea | 176 (10.6) | 22.70±5.44 | 22.01 (＜.001) | |
| Marriedb | 1,262 (76.1) | 21.60±4.37 | a＞b＞c | ||
| Divorced, Widow/erc | 221 (13.3) | 19.80±4.59 | |||
| Education | ≤Elementary schoola | 655 (39.5) | 20.21±4.24 | 43.18 (＜.001) | |
| ＜High schoolb | 356 (21.5) | 22.38±4.57 | a＜b, c | ||
| ≥High schoolc | 647 (39.0) | 22.25±4.64 | |||
| Average monthly income† (millions won) | ＜2a | 857 (51.7) | 2.87±1.75 | 19.63±4.21 | 186.56 (＜.001) |
| 2~4b | 548 (33.0) | 22.96±4.02 | a＜b＜c | ||
| ＞4c | 254 (15.3) | 24.47±4.16 | |||
| Type of disaster | Typhoon | 1,382 (83.3) | 21.61±4.58 | 2.70 (.044) | |
| Heavy rain | 251 (15.2) | 20.72±4.55 | |||
| Fire | 12 (0.7) | 21.20±4.89 | |||
| Earthquake | 14 (0.8) | 21.44±4.09 | |||
| Perceived losses† | Minimuma | 79 (4.8) | 21.85±5.06 | 24.21 (＜.001) | |
| Moderateb | 363 (21.9) | 20.02±4.82 | a, b＜c | ||
| Severec | 1,217 (73.3) | 21.88±4.38 | |||
| Support received post-earthquake† | Lowa | 745 (44.9) | 20.85±4.61 | 24.0 (＜.001) | |
| Averageb | 637 (38.4) | 21.52±4.41 | a, b＜c | ||
| Highc | 276 (16.6) | 23.05±4.51 | |||
| Perceived health status† | Lowa | 478 (28.8) | 18.88±3.77 | 191.30 (＜.001) | |
| Averageb | 496 (29.9) | 21.00±3.41 | a＜b＜c | ||
| Highc | 685 (41.3) | 23.63±4.79 | |||
| Depression | Normal (＜8) | 1,432 (86.3) | 22.05±4.34 | 12.28 (＜.001) | |
| High risk (≥9) | 227 (13.7) | 17.25±4.11 | |||
| PTSD | Normal (＜24) | 1,461 (88.1) | 22.00±4.48 | 14.7 (＜.001) | |
| High risk (≥25) | 198 (11.9) | 18.16±3.73 | |||
| Resilience | Low (≤19) | 896 (54.0) | 19.39±4.13 | -23.07 (＜.001) | |
| High (≥20) | 763 (46.0) | 23.92±3.81 | |||
| Social support | Low (≤41) | 731 (44.1) | 19.59±4.41 | -15.96 (＜.001) | |
| High (≥42) | 928 (55.9) | 22.96±4.15 | |||
Table 2.
Relation among Depression, Resilience, Social Support, and Quality of Life (N=1,659)
Table 3.
Factors associated with Quality of Life (N=1,659)
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