TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Tsunami-affected Scandinavian tourists: Disaster exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms
JO  - Nordic journal of psychiatry
A1  - Heir, Trond
A1  - Rosendal, Susanne
A1  - Bergh-Johannesson, Kerstin
A1  - Michel, Per-Olof
A1  - Mortensen, Erik Lykke
A1  - Weisæth, L
A1  - Andersen, Henrik S.
A1  - Hultman, Christina M.
SP  - 9
EP  - 15
VL  - 65
IS  - 1
N2  - Background: Studies of short- and long-term mental effects of natural disasters have reported a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress. Less is known about disaster-exposed tourists repatriated to stable societies. Aims: To examine the association between exposure to the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami and symptoms of post-traumatic stress in three Scandinavian tourist populations. Methods: Postal survey of Norwegian, Danish and Swedish Southeast Asia tourists registered by the police when arriving at national airports. Follow-up time was 6 (Norway), 10 (Denmark) and 14 months (Sweden) post-disaster; 6772 individuals were included and categorized according to disaster exposure: danger exposed (caught or chased by the waves), non-danger exposed (other disaster-related stressors) and non-exposed. Outcome measures were the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List (PCL). Results: Danger exposed reported more post-traumatic stress than non-danger exposed, and the latter reported more symptoms than non-exposed (each P<0.001). Comparison of the Norwegian and Swedish data suggested that symptoms were attenuated at 14 months follow-up (P<0.001). Female gender and low education, but not age, predicted higher levels of symptoms. Conclusions: Disaster-exposed tourists repatriated to unaffected home environments show long-term post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms related to the severity of exposure.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0803-9488
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/08039481003786394
ID  - ref1
ER  -