Citation

Chen YL, Hsu WY, Lai CS, Tang TC, Wang PW, Yeh YC, Huang MF, Yen CF, Chen CS. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2014; 69(1): 12-21.

Affiliation

Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/pcn.12227

PMID

25066670

Abstract

AIM: This paper describes a 1-year follow-up study of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and depression in an elderly minority population who experienced Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan.

METHODS: The PTSD Symptom Scale - Interview and the 10-item short form Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale were used to examine PTSD symptomatology and depression in 120 victims at 3-6 months and 88 victims (73.3% reinterview rate) at 11-12 months after the disaster. Further, we looked for associations between stress, prognosis, and development of PTSD symptomatology and depression.

RESULTS: The prevalence of PTSD symptomatology decreased from 29.2% (35/120) at 3-6 months to 15.9% (14/88) at 11-12 months. However, the prevalence of depression increased from 43.3% (52/120) to 46.6% (41/88). No factor was associated with follow-up PTSD symptomatology, and only the level of education was related to follow-up depression. Generally, the risk factors of age, sex, symptomology of PTSD and depression at baseline, and stressor of unemployment could predict new-onset or chronic PTSD symptomatology and depression. Delayed-onset depression 48.0% (24/50) was more common than delayed-onset PTSD symptomatology 11.3% (7/62). Chronic and delayed-onset PTSD symptomatology was more easily developed with depression.

CONCLUSION: Although PTSD and depression were separate consequences of trauma, they emerged and deteriorated people's mental health together. We documented the courses of PTSD and depression among elderly aboriginal people and possible effects of demographic, symptomatology, and adverse life stressors were discussed.

Language: en