Comparative study of prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among survivors of Bam earthquake ۱۸ month after the event in bam and Kerman cities

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychological problems after disasters and due to lack of local studies in this field. This study was conducted to determine the comparison of PTSD, ۱۸ months after this earthquake in Bam and Kerman. Method: In this cross-sectional study, about ۴۲۲ people were studied (۲۰۵ people from Bam and ۲۱۷ from Kerman) with stratified cluster sampling in three age groups: young adults, adults, and elderly. In addition, PTSD (Watson) and personal information questionnaires were used for data gathering. Findings: The accumulative prevalence of PTSD in respondents of Bam and Kerman were ۶۶.۷% and ۵۷.۱% respectively (p=۰.۰۴۵). The prevalence of moderate to severe PTSD in respondents of Bam and Kerman were about ۵۸.۹% and ۳۵.۱% respectively (p<۰.۰۰۱). Furthermore, the prevalence of minor PTSD in Bam and Kerman were about ۷.۷% and ۲۱.۹%, respectively (p<۰.۰۰۱). According to gender and different age groups, there was no statistically significant difference based on the prevalence of PTSD in the city of Bam and Kerman. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that even after one and half years after bam earthquake the PTSD prevalence in Kerman city which located near the bam and had no destruction and mortality like bam is still high, getting chronic form and proper interventions are needed for decreasing this disorder in both cities.

Keywords:

Bam , Kerman , PTSD , earthquake , : بم , کرمان , اختلال استرس پس از سانحه , زلزله.