THE PREVALENCE OF PTSD AMONG EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN NGERENGE,KARONGA.

1. THE PREVALENCE OF PTSD AMONG EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN NGERENGE,KARONGA. By David W Sibale St John of God College of Health Sciences, Bsc in Clinical Medicine (MH) Student PTSD

2. BACK GROUND INFORMATION • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has been prevalent among populations after events like earthquakes, wars, floods, major fires, serious transport accidents, assault, rape and others. • Symptoms include exposure, re-experiencing, avoidance, hyper arousal, duration >1/12 and social occupational dysfunction. • Earthquakes are caused by rapture of geological faults, volcanic activity, landslides, etc PTSD

3. BACK GROUND CTD • The Karonga earthquakes occurred in December 2009 till mid 2011. Most intense ones measured 3.0 and 6.3 on the Richter's scale causing serious destruction of property, bodily injuries and 3 deaths. OBJECTIVES • To determine the prevalence of Post traumatic stress disorder among earthquake survivors of Ngerenge in Karonga. PTSD

4. METHODS • Design: Quantitative design was used. A cross sectional and non interventional study. • Sampling: A total of 382subjects were screened for PTSD using a structured SRQ. Randomly selected from ten villages. Every fifth client was requested to participate. PTSD

5. METHODS ctd/… • Datacollection: A PTSD self report questionaire, adapted from the National Research Institute for Community studies was used to collect data. • Ethical clearance was sought from research committees of SJOG college, MZUNI and National Research council among others. • SPSS version 16.0 was used to analyze data. Chi-square was used to test associations. PTSD

6. RESULTS Sample description Social demographic characteristics: • Themeanageoftherespondents in years was 39.5. 39.5% (n= 151) were males • Primary education 10.7% (n= 41), JCE 13.4% (n= 51) and MSCE in 7.3% (n= 28). • 86.1%(n= 329) were married while 13.4% were either not married or widowed. • Good premorbid health status was reported in 88.2% (n= 337) but poor in 11.8% (n= 45). PTSD

7. RESULTS ctd/…. • Prevalence of PTSD: 184 subjects out 382 met the diagnostic 1+3+2 criteria for PTSD (Scot & Straddling,2001). This represents a 48.2% prevalence. • Factors associated with PTSD • Poor premorbid health status (p= 0.008) was associated with Post traumatic stress disorder. PTSD

8. DISCUSSION • The high rate of PTSD was found to be in agreement with findings in Iran of 66.7%,(Ziaaddini et al, 2009); Haiti (with ranges of 3.3 to 50% (Columbia Univ,2010) and Turkey of 32 to 60% (National centre for PTSD, 1993) in adult survivors. • Intensity & homelessness may have contributed. • Premorbid health status was significantly associated with PTSD PTSD

9. DISCUSSION ctd/… • Study limitations and implications. • Thestructuredquestionaire. • Questionaire not culturally validated. • A cross sectional study. • Contaminating factors like floods in part of the area. • History and maturation PTSD

10. Conclusion • These study findings underscore the need for a biopsychosocial approach in disaster management strategies and interventions. • Further studies to explore on comorbid depression which is likely. • Follow up by stake holders on interventions. PTSD

11. Acknowledgements • Mr H. Chilale, my research supervisor. • Mr Masulani Mwale on imparting knowledge on statistics and other lecturers on various dimensions of support. • My research assistants- AEHO and 4 HSAs. • The DHO, DC, all traditional leaders and community people of Ngerenge for their untiring support during the study. PTSD

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