Longitudinal outcomes of post-traumatic stress disorder among the Indian Ocean tsunami survivors in Indonesia

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a disaster could change over time. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors of PTSD among the 2004 Indian tsunami survivors in Aceh and North Sumatra province, Indonesia. It mapped the trajectory recovery pattern of mental illness and examined the medium-term PTSD consequence five and 18 months after the disaster using a large longitudinal survey. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to derive the association between the post-traumatic stress disorder trajectory group and risk factors. The results showed that 15% and 20% of the respondents had persistent medium-term and delayed-onset PTSD, respectively. The vital predictors of persistent PTSD included being female, aged 50 and older, married, and having higher direct trauma exposures to the tsunami. Furthermore, delayed-onset PTSD was associated with negative life events after the tsunami and perceived less social support. The results indicate the necessity to understand the predictors for each PTSD trajectory group's effective intervention regarding mental health after the disaster.