Ravan Jayaprakash R, Panda Udit K, Pattnaik Jigyansa I, Banerjee Sreya, Chaudhuri Titas, Patil Sachin, Das Rama Chandra
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Indian J Psychiatry. 2024 Nov;66(11):1043-1049. doi: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_231_24. Epub 2024 Nov 16.
First responders are at high risk for adverse mental health outcomes following trauma exposure during disaster response. This mixed methods study aimed to quantify psychological impacts and explore personal experiences among first responders after the Bahanaga train accident that killed 294 passengers in the month of June 2023.
For qualitative data, in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted, and quantitative data was collected using the PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7), and patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. The study was conducted over one month during July 2023.
Among 225 responders, alarming rates of symptoms of probable PTSD (10.2%), anxiety (11.6%), and depression (24.9%) were noted. Those with no prior exposure to disasters and those with no formal training in disaster response scored higher in measures for PTSD. IDIs were conducted with 22 first responders, including various stakeholders. Qualitative analysis identified themes of preoccupation with witnessing trauma, feeling overwhelmed, scary and terrible emotions, avoidance, guilt, hypervigilance, intrusive memories, emotional numbing, unmet needs for mental health support, worsening physical health, re-emergence of past traumas, compounding impact of graphic images in the media, certain positive impact, including increased empathy, resilience and finding purpose, and the beneficial role of peer support.
Significant psychological impacts are noted with elevated rates of probable PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among first responders one month after the Bahanaga train tragedy. These results underscore the vulnerability of first responders to mental health challenges following disaster response in India.
在灾难应对期间接触创伤后，急救人员面临不良心理健康后果的高风险。这项混合方法研究旨在量化心理影响，并探索2023年6月造成294名乘客死亡的巴哈纳加火车事故后急救人员的个人经历。
对于定性数据，进行了深入访谈（IDI），并使用DSM-5创伤后应激障碍检查表（PCL-5）、广泛性焦虑症量表（GAD-7）和患者健康问卷（PHQ-9）收集定量数据，以评估创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）、抑郁和焦虑症状。该研究于2023年7月进行了一个月。
在225名急救人员中，发现可能患有PTSD（10.2%）、焦虑（11.6%）和抑郁（24.9%）症状的比例惊人。那些以前没有接触过灾难且没有接受过灾难应对正式培训的人在PTSD测量中的得分更高。对22名急救人员进行了深入访谈，包括不同的利益相关者。定性分析确定了以下主题：对目睹创伤的过度关注、不知所措的感觉、恐惧和可怕的情绪、回避、内疚、过度警觉、侵入性记忆、情感麻木、心理健康支持需求未得到满足、身体健康恶化、过去创伤的再次出现、媒体中生动图像的复合影响、某些积极影响，包括同理心增加、恢复力增强和找到人生目标，以及同伴支持的有益作用。
在巴哈纳加火车悲剧发生一个月后，急救人员中可能患有PTSD、焦虑和抑郁症状的比例升高，表明存在重大心理影响。这些结果强调了印度急救人员在灾难应对后易受心理健康挑战影响的情况。
