Citation

Thormar SB, Gersons BPR, Juen B, Marschang A, Djakababa MN, Olff M. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2010; 198(8): 529-538.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychological Trauma, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Austrian Red Cross, Innrain, Innsbruck, Austria; and The Triangle Group, Public Health in Humanitarian Settings, Geneva, Switzerland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181ea1fa9

PMID

20699716

Abstract

This article reviews the literature on mental health of volunteers after working in disasters. When mobilized they often are a community's major source for rescue and recovery. PsychINFO, PubMED, and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles published until October 2009. Of 448 articles screened, only 9 articles fulfilled our inclusion criteria. They examined the aftermath of earthquakes (4 articles), terrorist bombings (1), explosions (1), aviation disasters (1), tsunami (1), and a bus accident (1).Findings showed that, compared with professional workers, volunteers tend to have higher complaint levels. The following factors were found to contribute to mental health complaints of volunteers: Identification with victims as a friend, severity of exposure to gruesome events during disaster work, anxiety sensitivity, and lack of postdisaster social support. The review reveals the need for more research regarding predictors of stress in volunteers.

Language: en