Association between psychological morbidities and information provision, reliability, and satisfaction among disaster victims: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Providing information about disaster relief services and recovery processes reduces the damage from disasters and enables disaster victims to respond to disasters effectively. The present study aimed to clarify the associations between provision, reliability, satisfaction of information and satisfaction with media coverage and the risk of psychological morbidities (post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression, and anxiety). This was a cross-sectional survey - 1337 disaster victims who had experience of disasters within 2 years, such as earthquakes were enrolled in the 3rd Disaster Victims Panel Survey, 2018. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the associations between psychological morbidities and provision, reliability, and satisfaction of information. Reliability of information was assessed with a dichotomized variable and satisfaction with information or media was assessed 4 levels with ‘neutral’ by a single retrospective self-report item. The risks of depression (odds ratio [95% CI] = 1.478 [1.078–2.028]; p = 0.015) and anxiety (1.879 [1.262–2.798]; p = 0.002) were significantly higher in uninformed victims. Those who received reliable information were less likely to report depression (0.538 [0.381–0.758]; p < 0.001) and anxiety (0.362 [0.229–0.573]; p < 0.001), and those who received unreliable information were more likely to report PTSD (1.714 [1.045–2.810]; p = 0.033) and depression (1.742 [1.029–2.950]; p = 0.039). Satisfactory information was related to lower risks of depression (0.543 [0.380–0.778]; p = 0.001) and anxiety (0.352 [0.215–0.575]; p < 0.001). Disaster victims who were unsatisfied with media coverage had higher risks of PTSD (5.363 [3.672–7.833]; p < 0.001), depression (5.911 [3.377–10.347]; p < 0.001) and anxiety (5.840 [2.837–12.022]; p < 0.001). Providing information and providing reliable and satisfactory information might reduce the risk of psychological morbidities. Our results suggest that providing reliable and satisfactory information during disasters could reduce the psychiatric burden of disasters.