Mental Health Risks in the Local Workforce Engaged in Disaster Relief and Reconstruction

Abstract

To build a sustainable workforce for long-term disaster relief and reconstruction, more effort must be made to promote local relief workers' mental health. We conducted 25 semistructured interviews with local relief officials 10 months after the 2008 earthquake in China to investigate the stress and coping experiences in their personal lives as survivors. We conducted thematic analysis of interview transcripts. Traumatic bereavement and grief, housing and financial difficulties, and work-family conflict were the three main sources of stress in the respondents' personal lives. The coping themes were finding meaning and purpose in life through relief work, colleagues' support and understanding, suppression or avoidance of grief, appreciation for life, hardiness, optimism, letting nature take its course, and making up for loss. We suggest that relief work has a double-edged-sword effect on workers' coping abilities. We discuss the implications of this effect for work-life balance measures and trauma and grief counseling services.

Diagnostic interview study of the prevalence of depression among public employees engaged in long‐term relief work in Fukushima

“…Incidentally, several past studies focusing on stress among relief workers revealed that female sex and traumatic bereavement can be predictors of developing PTSD or depression after community disasters. In the present study, the PR of the participants who experienced bereavement was high at 1.73, similar to the results of previous studies . Financial losses and damage to the home have also been shown to be associated with subsequent mental health problems.…”

“…The most likely reason for the lack of significant differences in the other variables is beta error, as the number of participants was too low. Incidentally, several past studies focusing on stress among relief workers revealed that female sex and traumatic bereavement can be predictors of developing PTSD or depression after community disasters. In the present study, the PR of the participants who experienced bereavement was high at 1.73, similar to the results of previous studies .…”

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders among the Survivors of 2015 Nepal Earthquake, in Dhading, Nepal

“…Wen, Shi, Li, Yuan, & Wang, 2012). Another study eminent that feeling connected might be important for recovery from mass trauma and post-traumatic intensification in local relief workers (X. L. Wang, Chan, Shi, & Wang, 2013). Therefore, measures to promote communication ultimately increase sharing of worst insight traumatic feelings and fear of disaster at the community level, this might smooth the progress of psychological recovery in general population.…”

Risk and resilience factors affecting the psychological wellbeing of individuals deployed in humanitarian relief roles after a disaster

“…Many participants viewed the experience as rewarding, in terms of feeling they had made a contribution; personal accomplishment; and consequent improved confidence and self-esteem, increased compassion, and re-evaluation of the self and meaning of life Soliman et al, 1998;Wang et al, 2013;Yang et al, 2010). Humanitarian concern, work satisfaction and the feeling of ''giving back'' were motivators.…”

“…McCormack & Joseph (2013),,Stuhlmiller (1994),Wang et al (2011Wang et al ( , 2013, and Wyche et al(2011) Chang et al (2008), Curling & Simmons (2010), Huang et al (2013), Karanci & Acarturk (2005), Miles et al (1984), Paton (1994), Wilkinson (1983), and Wyche et al (2011) Formal post-disaster support: Peer support/Professional support/Counselling/ Debriefing Bakhshi et al (2014), Bjerneld et al (2004), Hearns & Deeny (2007), McCormack & Joseph (2013) and Stuhlmiller (1994) Durham et al (1985), Kenardy et al (1996), Van der Velden et al (2012) and Wu et al (2012) Media: Media coverage of disaster/ Publicity Bakhshi et al (2014), Norris et al (2005) Miles et al (1984), Nishi et al (2012), and Paton (1994) (continued )…”