Terrorist bombing at the USA embassy in Nairobi: the media response

Njenga, Frank; Nyamai, C.; Kigamwa, Pius

doi:10.4314/eamj.v80i3.8686

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…3,47 Vasterman et al 50 concluded that “people tend to adopt the explanations offered by the media and integrate them into their story about their own health complaints.” Alternatively, the media has also demonstrated the potential to convey accurate information and realistic messages of hope as an alternative to media hype and risk amplification. 50,51 These contrasting approaches and outcomes during disaster reporting need to be investigated in controlled experimental conditions to determine their validity; only then we will have the information necessary to generate scientifically sound recommendations for public health authorities and the public media.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental induction of psychogenic illness in the context of a medical event and media exposure

Broderick¹,

Kaplan-Liss²,

Bass³

2011

Am J Disaster Med

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Objectives Mass psychogenic illness can be a significant problem for triage and hospital surge in disasters; however, research has been largely limited to posthoc observational reports. Reports on the impact of public media during a disaster have suggested both salutary as well as iatrogenic psychological effects. This study was designed to determine if psychogenic illness can be evoked and if media will exacerbate it in a plausible, controlled experiment among healthy community adults. Methods A randomized controlled experiment used a simulated biological threat and elements of social contagion—essential precipitants of mass psychogenic illness. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: no-intervention control group, psychogenic illness induction group, or psychogenic illness induction plus media group. Measures included three assessments of symptom intensity, heart rate, blood pressure, as well as questionnaires to measure potential psychogenic illness risk factors. Results The two psychogenic induction groups experienced 11 times more symptoms than the control group. Psychogenic illness was observed in both men and women at rates that were not significantly different. Higher rates of lifetime history of traumatic events and depression were associated with greater induction of illness. Media was not found to exacerbate symptom onset. Conclusions Psychogenic illness relevant to public health disasters can be evoked in an experimental setting. This sets the stage for further research on psychogenic illness and strategies for mitigation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental induction of psychogenic illness in the context of a medical event and media exposure

Broderick¹,

Kaplan-Liss²,

Bass³

2011

Am J Disaster Med

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“…In general, and inspite of many traumatic experiences and events in Kenya, such as the American Embassy Bombing in 1998, tribal clashes, school fire tragedies, there is a dearth of published documentation on psychotrauma in Kenya. The few studies documented include; traumatic grief among parents of learners who perished in a school fire tragedy in Kenya (7), the effects of the media among Nairobi residents three months after the Nairobi bomb blast (8) and psychopathology pursuant to traumatic closed head injury (9). None of these studies focused specifically on PTSD as a clinical entity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post traumatic stress disorder among motor vehicle accident survivors attending the orthopaedic and trauma clinic at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi

et al. 2004

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IV). Results: The mean age was 34.63 ± 12.71 years (range 18-65). Overall, the prevalence rate of PTSD was 13.3%. None of the cases had been previously diagnosed as having PTSD. Females had a higher rate of 17.9% (n = 67), compared to the males 11.7% (n=197). The majority of those with PTSD (42.9%) were young, 20-29 years. Other risk factors were having post-primary education (62.9%), experiencing the first motor vehicle accident (14.1%), previous psychiatric illness, and other medical illnesses. The type of accident, role/status and immediate reactions to the accident were not significant. Conclusions: PTSD following motor vehicle accidents is common. Although the MVA survivors do develop significant rates of PTSD, it is not easy to identify those at risk but some of the parameters documented in this study may help. A multi disciplinary approach is therefore essential in the management of the RTA survivors at the orthopaedic and trauma clinics if their physical and psychological needs are to be adequately addressed

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“…A number of local universities have programmesboth undergraduate and postgraduate -for the training of counselling psychologists, which is a very popular area of study, particularly following the 1998 bombing of the American Embassy in Nairobi, which brought mental health issues to the fore (Njenga et al, 2003. The tragedy had this one definite benefit to mental health.…”

Section: Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health policy and programmes in Kenya

Njenga¹,

Kigamwa

2005

Int. psychiatry

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Following a 10-year war of liberation (fought by the Mau Mau against the British), Kenya attained full independence from colonial rule in 1963. For 10 years the country enjoyed rapid economic growth (6–7% per annum) but this slowed steadily to near stagnation in the 1990s. Poor governance, abuse of human rights, internal displacements of citizens, large numbers of refugees from neighbouring countries and the AIDS pandemic conspired to reduce Kenyans’ life expectancy to 47 years (in the UK it is presently 77 years). Some 42% of the population now live below the poverty line, and 26% of Kenyans exist on less than US$1 per day. The annual per capita income in Kenya is US$360 (in the UK it is $24 000) (World Bank, 2002). AIDS currently has an estimated prevalence rate of 12%. In large parts of rural Kenya many sexually active adults are unable to work, and elderly grandparents are left to look after orphaned children (some already infected with HIV), as they struggle to deal with their own grief for the loss of many of their own children. In December 2002 a new government was elected, which gives some grounds for optimism in an otherwise bleak situation.

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Terrorist bombing at the USA embassy in Nairobi: the media response

Cited by 13 publications

References 0 publications

Experimental induction of psychogenic illness in the context of a medical event and media exposure

Experimental induction of psychogenic illness in the context of a medical event and media exposure

Post traumatic stress disorder among motor vehicle accident survivors attending the orthopaedic and trauma clinic at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi

Mental health policy and programmes in Kenya

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