scholarly journals TRAUMA THROUGH THE LIFE CYCLE IN AN IMMIGRANT POPULATION

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S937-S938
Author(s):  
Gabriella Dong ◽  
Stephanie M Bergren
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Vietnam War ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Chinese Americans ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
Physical Assault ◽  
Historical Events ◽  
Older Immigrants ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Great Leap Forward

Abstract The majority of studies on traumatic events have focused on either children or younger adults, while traumatic events in older adults have not been sufficiently investigated. Older immigrants encountered a wide range of traumatic events across the life span, before and after immigration, in the origin and host countries. This study aims to provide a descriptive epidemiology of lifetime traumatic events in older Chinese Americans. The data were drawn from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE) in 2017-2019, with a sample size of 3,126. Traumatic events were evaluated by natural disasters, personal and historical events. After examining the lifetime prevalence of natural disasters, we found typhoon (64.46%) has the highest prevalence, followed by earthquake (39.81%) and tornado (7.25%). In terms of personal events, death of a loved one (69.78%) was the most prevalent, followed by robbery (12.57%), physical assault (5.36%), fire (5.29%), divorce (5.16%), cancer (5.10%), falsely accused (2.15%), homeless (1.57%), sexual assault (0.99%), and imprisonment (0.74%). In addition, 18.91% of women experienced abortion and 11.25% of women experienced miscarriage,. With respect to historical events, most participants experienced the Cultural Revolution (73.27%), the Great Leap Forward (62.71%), and famine (60.01%). A small proportion experienced the Japanese invasion of China (27.14%), Tiananmen Square protests (7.86%), and the Vietnam war (4.78%). In our sample, women were more likely than men to encounter traumatic life events. Further studies could examine the influence of cumulative exposure to natural disasters, personal events and historical events on health outcomes of older immigrants.

scholarly journals Cumulative Adversity and Depressive Symptoms: Optimism as a Moderator

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 503-503
Author(s):  
Gabriella Dong ◽  
Mengting Li
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Historical Event ◽  
Physical Assault ◽  
Historical Events ◽  
Life Orientation Test ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Older immigrants encountered a wide range of traumatic events across the life span, before and after immigration, in the origin and host countries. Prior studies have shown that traumatic events were associated with depression, but less is known about what are the resilience factors against depression related to traumatic events. Optimism is one of resilience assets reflecting the extent to which people hold generalized favorable expectancies for their future. This study aims to examine whether optimism could moderate the negative impact of exposure to natural disasters, traumatic personal events, and historical events on depressive symptoms. The data were drawn from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE) in 2017-2019, with a sample size of 3,125. Traumatic life events were evaluated by natural disasters (typhoon, earthquake, and tornado), personal events (e.g. death of a loved one, physical assault) and historical events (e.g. Japanese invasion of China). Depressive symptoms were measured by PHQ-9. Optimism was assessed by Revised Life Orientation test. Linear regression with interaction terms was used. Older adults with one additional exposure to natural disaster (b=0.34, SE=0.07, p <.001), personal event (b=0.32, SE=0.05, p <.001), and historical event (b=0.14, SE=0.04, p <.001) were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Optimism could buffer the negative impacts of natural disasters (b=-0.03, SE=0.01, p <.05), personal events (b=-0.05, SE=0.01, p <.001), and historical events (b=-0.02, SE=0.01, p <.01) on depressive symptoms. Psychological interventions are suggested to increase optimism of older adults with exposure to lifetime traumatic events to reduce their depressive symptoms.

Exposures to Potentially Psychologically Traumatic Events Among Nurses in Canada

2020 ◽  
pp. 084456212096198
Author(s):  
Andrea M. Stelnicki ◽  
Laleh Jamshidi ◽  
Rosemary Ricciardelli ◽  
R. Nicholas Carleton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Psychiatric Nurses ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
Physical Assault ◽  
Licensed Practical Nurses ◽  
Life Threatening Illness ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Clinically Significant

Background Nurses are regularly exposed to diverse potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) as a function of their work. Cumulative exposure to PPTEs can lead to clinically significant symptoms of mental disorders. Purpose We designed the current study to investigate the prevalence of different PPTEs among Canadian nurses and estimate the associations between diverse exposures and several mental disorders. Methods Canadian nurses (i.e., registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners) completed an online, self-reported survey. In total, 4067 participants (94.8% women) completed all relevant survey measures. Results Nurses reported exposures to several PPTE categories including severe human suffering, life threatening illness or injury, and physical assault, often 11 or more times. There were significant ( p<.05) associations between diverse traumatic events and all mental disorders (i.e., Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder) except Alcohol Use Disorder. Conclusions The current findings suggest that Canadian nurses are substantially exposed to traumatic events, which vary by several sociodemographic categories. PPTE exposures were significantly associated with mental disorders; that is, if PPTEs were eliminated among Canadian nurses in the sample, symptoms would be reduced between 42.0% and 58.0%.

Supporting Students Following Crises and Natural Disasters

2020 ◽  
pp. 295-310
Author(s):  
Benjamin S. Fernandez
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
School Safety ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
School Community ◽  
Safety Planning ◽  
Crisis Communications ◽  
Careful Planning

Acute traumatic events have the potential to significantly disrupt the learning environment as well as the psychological functioning of students, staff, and the school community. Such events range in size and intensity, though all require careful planning to address the comprehensive safety and recovery needs of a school. Such planning includes considerations of prevention and preparedness, establishing crisis teams and crisis communications, and the selection and delivery of appropriate interventions given demonstrated need. This chapter discusses best practices in school safety planning and approaches to recovery after an incident to address crisis-generated problems, prevent trauma, and help restore the learning environment.

scholarly journals Psychosocial Stress and Overweight and Obesity: Findings From the Chicago Community Adult Health Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. NP-NP ◽  
Author(s):  
Adolfo G Cuevas ◽  
Ruijia Chen ◽  
Katherine A Thurber ◽  
Natalie Slopen ◽  
David R Williams
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Stress ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Psychosocial Stressors ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Community Adult

AbstractBackgroundPsychosocial stress has been implicated as a risk factor for overweight and obesity. However, research on psychosocial stressors and overweight and obesity has typically focused on single stressors in isolation, which may overestimate the impact of a specific stressor and fail to describe the role of cumulative stress on overweight and obesity risk.PurposeThis study explores the association between overweight/obesity and cumulative exposure to a wide range of psychosocial stressors, among a multiracial/ethnic sample of adults.MethodsUsing secondary data from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study (n = 2,983), we conducted multinomial logistic regression analyses to quantify associations between eight psychosocial stressors, individually and in combination, and measured overweight and obesity, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, alcohol use and smoking.ResultsIn separated covariate-adjusted models, childhood adversities (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16; confidence interval [CI] = [1.03, 1.30]), acute life events (OR = 1.18; CI = [1.04, 1.34]), financial strain (OR = 1.30; CI = [1.15, 1.47]), and relationship stressors (OR = 1.18; CI = [1.04, 1.35]) were associated with increased odds of obesity. In a model adjusted for all stressors simultaneously, financial strain was the only stressor independently associated with overweight (OR = 1.17; CI = [1.00, 1.36]) and obesity (OR = 1.21; CI = [1.05, 1.39]). Participants with stress exposure in the highest quintile across 2, 3, or ≥4 (compared to no) types of stressors had significantly higher odds of obesity.ConclusionsMultiple types of stressors may be risk factors for obesity, and cumulative exposure to these stressors may increase the odds of obesity. Reducing exposure to stressors at the population level may have the potential to contribute to reducing the burden of obesity.

Special Issue on “What can We do for Developing Search and Rescue Robot?”

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-435
Author(s):  
Koichi Osuka
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Response System ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Response Systems ◽  
Rescue Robots

As a disaster-prone country, Japan has endured many earthquake disasters. The latest cases include the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake disaster, the 2004 Niigata Chuetsu earthquake, and the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake. Since the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in particular, many robot researchers have started undertaking the research and development of rescue robots. Their practical applications have a long way to go, so to continue ongoing robot research and development, we should also be aware that comparatively few researchers and engineers are actually engaged in such research and development. Great earthquakes (or tsunami) are both rare and unpredictable, which makes it very difficult to establish research policies for rescue robots intended for specialized use in disaster response. We should also realize that Japan is almost constantly hit by one or another every year – e.g., the typhoons that hit Japan directly every year and themselves triggering other disasters caused by landslides or avalanches due to heavy rainfall. The Japanese populace is so accustomed to such happenings but, nevertheless, few actions have been taken unlike those against large-scale earthquakes. It is often said that an effective disaster response system can only be developed after we have experienced many actual disasters. It then occurs to us that we must first construct disaster response systems – rescue robots, etc. – directly targeting daily natural disasters. Any large-scale disaster response system can be built on such constant efforts. On the other hand, any disaster response system against daily natural disasters could only be developed by locally domiciled researchers and engineers. This makes us feel that it is possible to increase the number of personnel who become involved in disaster response research and development. Based on the above context, this special issue provides a wide range of articles on region-specific disasters and disaster response actions, focusing on their localities and specialties. We sincerely hope that this special issue will help in promoting research and development on rescue robots and putting them to practical use.

scholarly journals Gender differences in response to war-related trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder – a study among the Congolese refugees in Uganda

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert E. Ainamani ◽  
Thomas Elbert ◽  
David Kani Olema ◽  
Tobias Hecker
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Ptsd Symptom ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Ptsd Symptom Severity

Abstract Background The wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo have left indelible marks on the mental health and functioning of the Congolese civilians that sought refuge in Uganda. Even though it is clear that civilians who are exposed to potentially traumatizing events in war and conflict areas develop trauma-related mental health problems, scholarly information on gender differences on exposure to different war-related traumatic events, their conditional risks to developing PTSD and whether the cumulative exposure to traumatic events affects men and women differently is still scanty. Methods In total, 325 (n = 143 males, n = 182 females) Congolese refugees who lived in Nakivale, a refugee settlement in the Southwestern part of Uganda were interviewed within a year after their arrival. Assessment included exposure to war-related traumatic events, and DSM-IV PTSD symptom severity. Results Our main findings were that refugees were highly exposed to war-related traumatic events with experiencing dangerous flight as the most common event for both men (97%) and women (97%). The overall high prevalence of PTSD differed among women (94%) and men (84%). The highest conditional prevalence of PTSD in women was associated with experiencing rape. The dose-response effect differed significantly between men and women with women showing higher PTSD symptom severity when experiencing low and moderate levels of potentially traumatizing event types. Conclusion In conflict areas, civilians are highly exposed to different types of war-related traumatic events that expose them to high levels of PTSD symptoms, particularly women. Interventions focused at reducing mental health problems resulting from war should take the context of gender into consideration.

scholarly journals Cumulative exposure to traumatic events in older adults

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christin M. Ogle ◽  
David C. Rubin ◽  
Ilene C. Siegler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Cumulative Exposure

scholarly journals Natural Disasters and the Rise of the Modern Prometheus

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-36
Author(s):  
Petru Ştefan Ionescu
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Natural Disaster ◽  
Daniel Defoe ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Social ◽  
Literary Evolution ◽  
Modern Work

Abstract The aim of this paper is to present a specific literary evolution in the context of catastrophes brought by war, revolutions, pandemics, and natural disaster. Discussing works by Daniel Defoe and the Byron–Shelley circle, we will observe how traumatic events influenced literary and artistic expression, reflecting the social, political, and historical context of the authors’ lives. People tend to relate to heroes and myths more easily in times of crisis, hoping to find force and motivation in their fight for survival and improvement. The myth of Prometheus as a benefactor of mankind was one of the most influential for romantics, with Byron and Shelley casting him as a revolutionary hero that helps man combat the tyranny of his oppressors. Mythopoeic romantic poets such as Blake, Byron, and Shelley hoped to animate their fellows with their revolutionary creation into fighting against autocracy and for their liberties. Mary Shelley, on the other hand, turned Prometheus from the mythical ancient hero of humanity into the modern romantic anti-hero, creating in the process the first modern work of science-fiction.

scholarly journals A district framework for managing psychosocial aspects of disaster

1995 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 176-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Hobbs
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Psychosocial Aspects ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Road Accidents ◽  
The Many

Natural disasters occur infrequently in Europe, but the spate of transportation, crowd and other disasters in the late 1980s challenged our collective denial of potential catastrophe. Greater attention is now given also to the frequent small-scale traumatic events which are just as devastating to the many people affected by them, such as violent assaults and road accidents.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document