ERIC Number: EJ754369
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jan
Pages: 10
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0890-8567
EISSN: N/A
Health Problems in Children and Adolescents before and after a Man-Made Disaster
Dirkzwager, Anja J. E.; Kerssens, Jan J.; Yzermans, C. Joris
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, v45 n1 p94 Jan 2006
Objective: The aims of this study were to examine health problems of children (4-12 years old at the time of the disaster) and adolescents (13-18 years old at the time of the disaster) before and after exposure to a fireworks disaster in the Netherlands (May 2000), to compare these health problems with a control group, and to identify risk factors for postdisaster psychological problems. Method: Because the electronic medical records of family practitioners were used, longitudinal monitoring of health problems from 1 year predisaster until 2 years postdisaster for both victims (N = 1,628) and controls (N = 2,856) was possible. Health problems were classified according to the International Classification of Primary Care. Results: Postdisaster increases were significantly larger in victims than in controls for psychological problems, musculoskeletal problems, stress reactions, and symptoms of the extremities. Children 4-12 years old presented larger increases in sleep problems compared with controls, whereas children 13-18 years old showed larger increases in anxiety problems than their controls. Significant predictors for postdisaster psychological problems included being relocated, presenting predisaster psychological problems, and a low to medium socioeconomic status. Conclusions: Children and adolescents exposed to a disaster are at risk of long-lasting increases in both psychological and physical health problems. Postdisaster interventions should focus on those who were relocated and presented predisaster psychological problems. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Psychology, Physical Health, Sleep, Adolescents, Comparative Analysis, Emotional Response, Mental Health, At Risk Persons, Psychological Patterns, Stress Variables, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Predictor Variables, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Socioeconomic Influences
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. P.O. Box 1600, Hagerstown, MD 21741. Tel: 800-638-3030; Tel: 301-223-2300; Fax: 301-223-2400; Web site: http://www.lww.com/product/?0890-8567
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Netherlands
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A