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Chapter 9 - Primary and Secondary Stressors

The Ways in Which Emergencies, Incidents, Disasters, Disease Outbreaks, and Conflicts Are Stressful

from Section 1 - The Nature and Impacts of Twenty-First-Century Healthcare Emergencies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2024

By
Richard Williams ,
Evangelos Ntontis ,
John Drury ,
Khalifah Alfadhli  and
Richard Amlôt
Edited by
Richard Williams ,
Verity Kemp ,
Keith Porter ,
Tim Healing  and
John Drury
Richard Williams
Affiliation:
University of South Wales
Verity Kemp
Affiliation:
Independent Health Emergency Planning Consultant
Keith Porter
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham
Tim Healing
Affiliation:
Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London
John Drury
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
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Summary

This chapter introduces the notion of identifying primary and secondary stressors as a way of drawing attention to the many sources of stress that arise either as a consequence of disastrous events of long or short duration, or because they frame the context in which those disastrous events occur. The events that we include in this approach are broad in nature; they include emergencies of all kinds, major incidents, outbreaks of high consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs), terrorist attacks, and conflicts. We begin by outlining the context in which the circumstances that cause stress operate. Then we define primary and secondary stressors. This approach helps us to understand sources of stress in all kinds of adverse and disastrous events. We conclude that the sources of stress that we have researched in these differing emergencies differ, but also have much in common.

Keywords

COVID-19floodsManchester Arena bombingpersonal protective equipmentPPEsocioeconomicsupport
Type
Chapter
Information
Major Incidents, Pandemics and Mental Health
The Psychosocial Aspects of Health Emergencies, Incidents, Disasters and Disease Outbreaks
 , pp. 42 - 48
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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References

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