Mental Health Problems and Coping among Flood Victims in Ghana: A Comparative Study of Victims and Non-Victims

Abstract

IntroductionIn Africa, flood has often been the challenge confronting most countries over years as a result of various natural and human activities. For example, in 2009, several West African countries such as Senegal, Burkina Faso, Benin and Ghana were all affected by floods due to exceptionally heavy seasonal rainfalls. As a result, rivers such as the Niger, Volta, Pendjari Rivers all broke their banks and invaded homes and farms. In 2002, flood disasters were ranked the second highest cause of death (28%) in Africa after epidemics (37%) (Asian Disaster Reduction Centre (ADRC), 2002).Climatic conditions in Ghana can be grouped mainly into two; the wet season where there is significant precipitation during the rainy season from May to August and again in September to October. The dry period is experienced usually between November and May (World Bank Group, 2011). Over the years, the common causes of flooding in Ghana are intense rainfall run-offs which occur mainly during the raining season in Ghana, dam-burst and tidal waves. Tidal waves occurring along the coast and the rest being experienced all over the country in prominent areas like Accra which floods along the Odaw River. Pra River and Ankobra River flood in the Western Region; White Volta Floods in the Northern region; Black Volta floods in the Upper West Region; and Afram Plain floods in the Eastern and Ashanti regions (Karley, 2009).When disasters strike, lives and properties are lost or destroyed. In the face of the cost that comes with disasters, the first thought is physical safety. However, the mental health issues among the victims such as post traumatic experiences like anxiety, stress, and depression among others are rarely heard of or mentioned. Symptoms of disturbed sleep, fear, depression and exhaustion that the victims experience can be temporary or permanent (Norris et al., 2002).Natural Disasters and Mental Health ProblemsStudies indicate that, apart from the physically devastating effects of flood just as many other disasters, psychological sequelae exist as well (e.g., Katz et al., 2002). Post-traumatic stress disorder is often pertinent following disasters. Perhaps this may be due to the unpreparedness of an individual for the occurrence of such disasters. As such, disasters are said to be often sudden, unpredictable, and devastating. They thus, come with serious health/psychological problems (Yzermans et al., 2005).Several studies among disaster victims have documented varied mental health problems. In one of such studies, Vu and VanLandingham (2011) found statistically significant declines in the physical and mental health status of victims (Vietnamese Immigrants in New Orleans) of the Hurricane Katrina in a pre- and post-disaster assessment. Similarly, Du et al. (2009) found that the health impacts of flood disasters are wide ranging with the immediate health impact including people getting drowned, several forms of injuries and animal bites. It was further noted by Du et al. (2009) that hypothermia, loss of health workers, poisoning, communicable diseases, and starvation with long-term effects including poor mental health as well as starvation and poverty-related diseases are some of the effects of flood on the victims.Galea et al. (2005) concluded from their epidemiological study of posttraumatic stress disorder after disasters that survivors of major disasters experience psychological problems, such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Relatedly, Priebe et al. (2009) studied the prevalence of PTSD and predictors of PTSD six months after an earthquake in a rural region of Italy. They used a questionnaire that was handed out to 3,000 people in the region of Molise six months after an earthquake in October/November 2002 to assessed socio-demographic characteristics, aspects of the event, the experience of symptoms immediately after the earthquake, and symptoms of PTSD.In the face of traumatic events people try to cope with the disaster by adopting several coping strategies. …