Management of dead bodies as a component of psychosocial interventions after the tsunami: A view from Sri Lanka

Sumathipala, Athula; Siribaddana, Sisira; Perera, Clifford

doi:10.1080/09540260600656100

Cited by 36 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Finally, there is a growing literature on mass death resulting from the 2004 tsunami including four additional articles from ECRU at Carleton University (Bajaj, 2005;Brenner, 2005;Eberwine, 2005;Eriksen and Sprogge-Jakobsen, 2005;James, 2005;Ellen, 2005;Kieser, Laing and Herbison, 2006;Morgan et al, 2006;Perera, 2005;Rognum, 2005;Sirisup and Kanluen, 2005;Sumathipala, Siribaddana and Perera, 2006;Tan, 2005;Tsokos et al, 2006;Scanlon, 2005Scanlon, , 2006aScanlon, , 2006bScanlon, , 2006c.…”

Section: Mass Death Literaturementioning

confidence: 98%

Handling Mass Death by Integrating the Management of Disasters and Pandemics: Lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Spanish Flu and Other Incidents

Scanlon

McMahon

Haastert

2007

Contingencies & Crisis Mgmt

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

At first glance, there appear to be significant differences between mass death from disasters and catastrophes and mass death from pandemics. In a disaster or catastrophe the major problem is identifying the dead and, sometimes, determining cause of death. This can be very frustrating for next of kin. In a pandemic, the identity of the dead is usually known as is the cause of their death. There is an immediate certainty in pandemic death. Despite these major differences there are many similarities. Because it takes time to identify the dead after a disaster or catastrophe, there is a steady release of bodies for cremation or burial, just as in a pandemic. In both types of incidents, there tends to be a shortage of supplies and personnel and, therefore, a need for use of volunteers. There are also massive amounts of paper work. This would suggest a need in both cases for stockpiling and for training of volunteers. And, although this does not always happen, both types of incidents tend to strike harder among the poorer elements in cities yet both create serious economic problems. Despite these many similarities, planning for the first tends to be done by emergency agencies, especially the police; planning for the second by health agencies. Given the many similarities this separation makes no sense. Since both types of mass death incidents lead to similar problems, it would make sense to take an all-hazards approach to planning for dealing with mass death.

show abstract

Section: Mass Death Literaturementioning

confidence: 98%

Handling Mass Death by Integrating the Management of Disasters and Pandemics: Lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Spanish Flu and Other Incidents

Scanlon

McMahon

Haastert

2007

Contingencies & Crisis Mgmt

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In countries where Buddhism is widely practised, such as Sri Lanka and Thailand, the resilience shown by people in the aftermath of the tsunami has been recognized (de Silva, 2006;van Griensven et al, 2006) and their attitudes and beliefs of 'kamma' (or 'karma' in Sanskrit) is one explanation, but many questions still need further research to find the answers. The management of dead bodies was found to be a component of psychosocial interventions after the tsunami in Sri Lanka (Sumathipala, Siribaddana, & Perera, 2006). Sumathipala and colleagues summarized the guiding principles of psychosocial interventions: that they should be multi-sectored and multi-level; include intermediate, mid-term and long-term interventions; be socially and culturally sensitive to local people; recognize the functionality of existing social and healthcare systems; adopt a public mental health approach and be informed by evidence-based planning and implementation that is proven to be locally effective (Sumathipala et al, 2006).…”

Section: Psychosocial Interventions In Asiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The management of dead bodies was found to be a component of psychosocial interventions after the tsunami in Sri Lanka (Sumathipala, Siribaddana, & Perera, 2006). Sumathipala and colleagues summarized the guiding principles of psychosocial interventions: that they should be multi-sectored and multi-level; include intermediate, mid-term and long-term interventions; be socially and culturally sensitive to local people; recognize the functionality of existing social and healthcare systems; adopt a public mental health approach and be informed by evidence-based planning and implementation that is proven to be locally effective (Sumathipala et al, 2006).…”

Section: Psychosocial Interventions In Asiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health and the psychosocial consequences of natural disasters in Asia

Udomratn

2008

International Review of Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article presents an overview of natural disasters in Asia, as well as mental disorders and psychosocial interventions related to disasters. Although most of the top ten worst natural disasters occurred in Asia over the past century, little is known about the mental health and psychosocial aspects. After the tsunami incident in 2004, research reports in international journals related to Asian disasters have been growing. The prevalence rate of post-traumatic stress disorder related to natural disasters is currently between 8.6% and 57.3% depending on assessment methodologies, instruments and timing. Cognitive behaviour therapy has been found to be effective with Asian survivors but needs to be adapted for cultural and local sensitivities. Further research is needed in the areas of epidemiology for mental disorders and suitable psychosocial interventions for disaster survivors in Asia.

show abstract

“…Tracing and re-uniting with missing family members (i.e., the extensive kin networks that count as family for Sri Lankans) was of paramount importance. Recovering the bodies of dead kin and carrying out proper funeral rites were key obligations for survivors, as well as a source of solace (Sumathipala, Siribaddana, & Perera, 2006). Settling children back into a school-going routine was also important; government schools reopened just eight days after the tsunami hit, holding open-air classes where buildings had been washed away.…”

Section: Reflections On the 2004 Asian Tsunamimentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical cultural awareness: Contributions to a globalizing psychology.

Christopher

Wendt

Marecek³

et al. 2014

American Psychologist

210

165

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The number of psychologists whose work crosses cultural boundaries is increasing. Without a critical awareness of their own cultural grounding, they risk imposing the assumptions, concepts, practices, and values of U.S.-centered psychology on societies where they do not fit, as a brief example from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami shows. Hermeneutic thinkers offer theoretical resources for gaining cultural awareness. Culture, in the hermeneutic view, is the constellation of meanings that constitutes a way of life. Such cultural meanings – especially in the form of folk psychologies and moral visions – inevitably shape every psychology, including U.S. psychology. The insights of hermeneutics, as well as its conceptual resources and research approaches, open the way for psychological knowledge and practice that are more culturally situated.

show abstract

Management of dead bodies as a component of psychosocial interventions after the tsunami: A view from Sri Lanka

Cited by 36 publications

References 21 publications

Handling Mass Death by Integrating the Management of Disasters and Pandemics: Lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Spanish Flu and Other Incidents

Handling Mass Death by Integrating the Management of Disasters and Pandemics: Lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Spanish Flu and Other Incidents

Mental health and the psychosocial consequences of natural disasters in Asia

Critical cultural awareness: Contributions to a globalizing psychology.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About