Premium
The effect of traumatic bereavement on tsunami‐exposed survivors
Author(s) -
Johannesson Kerstin Bergh,
Lundin Tom,
Hultman Christina M.,
Lindam Anna,
DysterAas Johan,
Arnberg Filip,
Michel PerOlof
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20467
Subject(s) - grief , mental health , distress , posttraumatic stress , psychiatry , suicide prevention , traumatic grief , psychology , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , complicated grief , psychological distress , poison control , emotional distress , clinical psychology , medicine , anxiety , medical emergency , pathology
Fourteen months after the 2004 tsunami, mental health outcome was assessed in 187 bereaved relatives, 308 bereaved friends, and in 3,020 nonbereaved Swedish survivors. Of the bereaved relatives, 41% reported posttraumatic stress reactions and 62% reported impaired general mental health. Having been caught or chased by the tsunami in combination with bereavement was associated with increased posttraumatic stress reactions. Complicated grief reactions among relatives were almost as frequent as posttraumatic stress reactions. The highest levels of psychological distress were found among those who had lost children. Traumatic bereavement, in combination with exposure to life danger, is probably a risk factor for mental health sequelae after a natural disaster.