Tsunami Survivors Depressed and Anxious: Studies

TUESDAY, Aug. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Survivors in tsunami-affected areas of Thailand had elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) up to nine months after the disaster, according to two new studies says.

The Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami swamped the shorelines of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and a number of other countries. It's estimated that more than 200,000 people died. In Thailand alone, 5,395 people died, 2,991 were unaccounted for, and 8,457 were injured.

One of the studies surveyed hundreds of displaced and nondisplaced people in the Thai province of Phang Nga, and nondisplaced people in Krabi and Phuket. These were the three hardest-hit provinces in Thailand. An initial mental health survey was conducted in February 2005, and a follow-up survey was done in September 2005.

In the initial survey, symptoms of PTSD were reported by 12 percent of displaced and 7 percent of nondisplaced people in Phang Nga and 3 percent of nondisplaced people in Krabi and Phuket.

Anxiety symptoms were reported by 37 percent of displaced people and 30 percent of nondisplaced people in Phang Nga and by 22 percent of nondisplaced people in Krabi and Phuket.

Depression symptoms were reported by 30 percent of displaced and 21 percent of nondisplaced people in Phang Nga and by 10 percent of nondisplaced people in the two other provinces.

Loss of livelihood was independently and significantly associated with symptoms of all three mental health problems, according to the study, published in the Aug. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The nine-month follow-up survey found a decrease in the prevalence of PTSD, anxiety and depression symptoms among displaced and nondisplaced people in Phang Nga, but the rates were still higher than normal.

A second study found increased rates of depression and PTSD among children in the three provinces.

In February 2005, PTSD symptoms were noted in 13 percent of the children living in displacement camps, 11 percent of nondisplaced children from tsunami-affected villages, and six percent among children from villages not affected by the tsunami.

For depression symptoms, the rates were 11 percent, five percent, and eight percent, respectively.

The study found that children who had a delayed evacuation, felt that their own or a family member's life had been in danger during the tsunami, or experienced extreme panic or fear were significantly more likely to have PTSD symptoms.

Older age and having felt their own or a family member's life had been in danger were significantly associated with depressive symptoms among the children.

A follow-up survey in September 2005 found no significant decrease in the rates of PTSD and depression symptoms among the children.