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Mental health implications for older adults after natural disasters – a systematic review and meta-analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2015

Georgina Parker ,
David Lie ,
Dan J. Siskind ,
Melinda Martin-Khan ,
Beverly Raphael ,
David Crompton  and
Steve Kisely
Georgina Parker
Affiliation:
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
David Lie
Affiliation:
Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit, Metro South Division of Mental Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Dan J. Siskind*
Affiliation:
Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit, Metro South Division of Mental Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Centre for Neuroscience Recovery and Mental Health, Diamantina Health Partners, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Melinda Martin-Khan
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Beverly Raphael
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School of Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
David Crompton
Affiliation:
Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit, Metro South Division of Mental Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Centre for Neuroscience Recovery and Mental Health, Diamantina Health Partners, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Steve Kisely
Affiliation:
Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit, Metro South Division of Mental Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Centre for Neuroscience Recovery and Mental Health, Diamantina Health Partners, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Griffith Institute of Health, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr Dan J. Siskind, Associate Professor and Clinical Academic Psychiatrist, Mobile Intensive Rehabilitation Teams (MIRT), 519 Kessels Rd, MacGregor, Qld 4109, Australia. Phone: +61-7-3167-8430; Fax: +61-7-3167-8377. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background:

Natural disasters affect the health and well-being of adults throughout the world. There is some debate in the literature as to whether older persons have increased risk of mental health outcomes after exposure to natural disasters when compared with younger adults. To date, no systematic review has evaluated this. We aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the impact of natural disasters on the mental health and psychological distress experienced by older adults.

Design:

A meta-analysis was conducted on papers identified through a systematic review. The primary outcomes measured were post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorder, and psychological distress.

Results:

We identified six papers with sufficient data for a random effects meta-analysis. Older adults were 2.11 times more likely to experience PTSD symptoms and 1.73 more likely to develop adjustment disorder when exposed to natural disasters when compared with younger adults.

Conclusions:

Given the global rise in the number of older adults affected by natural disasters, mental health services need to be prepared to meet their needs following natural disasters, particularly around the early detection and management of PTSD.

Keywords

mental healthpost-traumatic stress disorderolder personsnatural disastermeta-analysis
Type
Review Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , January 2016 , pp. 11 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2015 

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