Psychological Health, Resilience Outcomes and Disaster Preparedness: The Impact of Natural Hazards on Adults in Greece. A Cross-Sectional Analysis - Abstract
This study examines and compares the psychological well-being, consequences, resilience outcomes, and disaster preparedness levels of adults in Greece who have faced natural hazards. Our cross-sectional study, encompassing 757 online participants, incorporated the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21), the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL), and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). The findings illuminate a compelling narrative: heightened severity in PTSD symptoms correlates significantly with increased anxiety (r=0.67; p<0.001), depression (r=0.70; p<0.001), and stress symptoms (r=0.72; p<0.001), as well as an augmented total DASS-21 score (r=0.75; p<0.001). Moreover, elevated PCL-C scores (r=0.66; p<0.001) and heightened scores across DASS subscales (r ranged from 0.62 to 0.69; p<0.001) and the total score (r=0.69; p<0.001) are significantly associated with increased WSAS scores. A meticulous multiple linear regression analysis underscores the significance of age, gender, annual family income, and cohabitation with the elderly or
disabled person in predicting PCL-C scores. Notably, a higher annual family income is correlated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Intriguingly, participants who recently experienced a fire exhibited significantly greater stress symptoms than those who experienced an earthquake. The implications of our findings underscore the need to prioritize developing and implementing behaviour change interventions at the community level aimed at enhancing resilience. This holistic approach contributes to continuous education and preparedness in the face of significant disaster events. To the best of our knowledge, this study stands as the pioneering initiative of its kind. However, further research is warranted to validate the applicability and reliability of these groundbreaking findings.