Fires and Pychotrauma: Experience of Psychological Care for Victims of the Petersen Market Fire in Dakar (Senegal)

Abstract

Background: In Senegal, fires in public markets have become more and more frequent since 2013, sometimes with loss of life. These fires are generally experienced by traders as painful and traumatic. The objectives of our study were to assess the impact of the Petersen market fire on the mental health of the victims and to show the beneficial contributions of immediate and post immediate psychological care. Methods: The study is cross-sectional and descriptive. It focused on sixteen shopkeepers, owners, tenants and employees of the shops ravaged by the fire. The study took place in the Plateau Health District on 23 March 2019 following a collective debriefing session. Results: Among the victims, the prevalence of psychotraumatic symptoms was 50%, all categories of physical and psychological signs combined. Signs of revivification and neurovegetative activation (insomnia, anorexia, amnesia, irritability) were found in proportions of 12.5% and 87.5% respectively. All victims received a debriefing session. Some subjects continue their treatment in the form of direct individual psychotherapy and at a distance by telephone. Conclusion: The phenomenon of fire in public markets in Senegal has become a matter of concern for the country’s political and administrative leaders. However, the victims often do not receive sufficient attention from those involved, especially in the absence of human losses. Immediate psychological care is necessary as it allows for early diagnosis and has crucial effects on the future of those involved.