TITLE:
Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Haitian Students
AUTHORS:
Gretel Silvestre, Pascale Anacréon, Michèle Théodore, Emmanuel Silvestre, Eugenia Garcia-Dubus
KEYWORDS:
Epidemiology, Ethiology-Risk and Protective Factors, Earthquake, PTSD, Haiti
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.5 No.8,
June
11,
2014
ABSTRACT:
The aim
of this study was to assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) in undergraduate students after the Haiti earthquake on January 12,
2010, as well as to identify the risk factors involved in the development of
PTSD symptoms in this sample. Evaluations concerning depression, anxiety, risk
and protective factors, and PTSD symptoms were conducted in 246 Haitian
undergraduate students enrolled in a Dominican private university. Results
indicate a prevalence of 36% for PTSD 2 years after the earthquake, with a high
prevalence also of depression (31.7%) and anxiety (21.1%). Some of the risk
factors identified are being female, a history of psychiatric treatment, and
the amount of personal and material losses. The instauration of crisis
management and follow-up protocols after traumatic events was deemed to be
needed. Further research is necessary to study the long-term effects of this
tragedy, not only in undergraduate students, but also in the working class
Haitian immigrants living in the Dominican Republic.