Post-traumatic stress disorder among adult survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake in China: a repeated cross-sectional study

Jing Guo; Ping Wu; Donghua Tian; Xiaohua Wang; Weijun Zhang; Xiulan Zhang; Zhiyong Qu

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.12.001

Post-traumatic stress disorder among adult survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake in China: a repeated cross-sectional study

J Anxiety Disord. 2014 Jan;28(1):75-82. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.12.001. Epub 2013 Dec 14.

Authors

Jing Guo¹, Ping Wu², Donghua Tian³, Xiaohua Wang¹, Weijun Zhang¹, Xiulan Zhang¹, Zhiyong Qu⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
² Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 43, New York, NY 10032, USA.
³ School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China. Electronic address: tian65216@hotmail.com.
⁴ School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China. Electronic address: qzy@bnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 24389578
DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.12.001

Abstract

The objective of the study was to examine trends in the prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Wenchuan, China, over the four-year period following its 2008 earthquake, and to explore the risk factors related to current PTSD. Chi-square analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to assess PTSD morbidity and identify associated risk factors. The results indicated that the prevalence of PTSD was 58.2% at two months, 22.10% at 8 months, 19.8% at 14 months, 19.0% at 26 months, and 8.0% at about 44 months after the earthquake. Female gender, being married, low education, non-drinking, and poor self-perceived health status were significantly associated with PTSD during the early period following the earthquake. Depression was significantly associated with survivors' PTSD throughout the study period.

Keywords: Depression; PTSD; Self-perceived health status.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
China / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression / epidemiology
Disasters*
Earthquakes*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology*
Survivors / psychology*
Survivors / statistics & numerical data
Young Adult