Mental Health Status and Related Factors of Citizens 6 Months after Mass Death and Injury Due to Crowd Crush Incident: Focused on the Itaewon Disaster in 2022.

OBJECTIVE

Crowd crush disasters result in psychological risks such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This descriptive research study identified the mental health status of Koreans after the Itaewon crowd crush disaster and explored related factors.

METHODS

Data were collected May 2-9, 2023 using an online survey. Participants included 205 adults aged 19-69 years recruited through South Korean local and online university communities. Their mental health and related factors were measured at 6 months post-disaster. Data were analyzed using IBM® SPSS® Statistics 26.0. and R 3.4.2.

RESULTS

Significant differences in anxiety, depression, and PTSD among participants who experienced the disaster as victims; changes in drinking frequency and alcohol consumption; and differences in anxiety and PTSD according to family type were observed. Comparing the 3 and 6 month surveys, there were no significant changes in anxiety, depression, PTSD, general mental health, or mental well-being. When mental health severity was divided according to victimization, a significant difference in the severity of anxiety, depression, and PTSD was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants' levels of anxiety, depression, and PTSD varied according to their direct and indirect experience of the disaster, with higher levels of PTSD even without direct experience with the disaster.