Citation

Harville EW, Xiong X, Buekens P, Pridjian G, Elkind-Hirsch K. Womens Health Issues 2010; 20(1): 20-27.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.whi.2009.10.002

PMID

20123173

PMCID

PMC2822707

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although disaster causes distress, many disaster victims do not develop long-term psychopathology. Others report benefits after traumatic experiences (posttraumatic growth). The objective of this study was to examine demographic and hurricane-related predictors of resilience and posttraumatic growth. METHODS: We interviewed 222 pregnant southern Louisiana women and 292 postpartum women completed interviews at delivery and 8 weeks later. Resilience was measured by scores lower than a nonaffected population, using the Edinburgh Depression Scale and the Post-Traumatic Stress Checklist. Posttraumatic growth was measured by questions about perceived benefits of the storm. Women were asked about their experience of the hurricane, addressing danger, illness/injury, and damage. Chi-square tests and log-Poisson models were used to calculate associations and relative risks for demographics, hurricane experience, and mental health resilience and perceived benefit. FINDINGS: Thirty-five percent of pregnant and 34% of the postpartum women were resilient from depression, whereas 56% and 49% were resilient from posttraumatic stress disorder. Resilience was most likely among White women, older women, and women who had a partner. A greater experience of the storm, particularly injury/illness or danger, was associated with lower resilience. Experiencing damage because of the storm was associated with increased report of some perceived benefits. CONCLUSION: Many pregnant and postpartum women are resilient from the mental health consequences of disaster, and perceive benefits after a traumatic experience. Certain aspects of experiencing disaster reduce resilience, but may increase perceived benefit.

Language: en