SINTOMI PSICOLOGICI E QUALITA’ DELLA VITA NELLA POPOLAZIONE DI L’AQUILA DOPO IL TERREMOTO DEL 2009

Introduzione: A seguito del terremoto di L’Aquila del 6.4.2009 più di 65000 persone hanno dovuto abbandonare le proprie abitazioni. Allo scopo di fornire rapida sistemazione a coloro che avevano perso la casa, è stato varato il progetto C.A.S.E (Complessi Antisismici Sostenibili Ecocompatibili), con la costruzione di 19 “New town” nelle zone limitrofe della città, strutture isolate dal contesto urbano, prive di servizi e centri di aggregazione. L’assegnazione degli appartamenti è stata effettuata tenendo conto del numero dei membri della famiglia, della presenza di disabilità, escludendo di valutare esigenze affettive o familiari. Lo scopo del presente studio è stato quello di valutare la prevalenza di disordini mentali, dei livelli di sintomi psicologici e della qualità della vita in un campione di popolazione che vive in tali realtà. Metodi: Le scale “Brief Symptom Inventory” (BSI) e “Impact of Events Scale-Revised” (IES-R) sono state utilizzate per valutare i sintomi psicologici; la qualità soggettiva della vita è stata valutata usando la scala MANSA (Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life). Risultati: Sono state intervistate 107 persone tra marzo e agosto 2011. Il punteggio medio della scala BSI è risultato di 0,7; il cut-off di 33 della scala IES-R è stato superato da circa il 60% del campione (valore medio 38); il punteggio medio ottenuto con la scala MANSA è stato di 4,5. Tali risultati mostrano una elevata prevalenza di disordini mentali e un elevato livello di sintomi, mentre la qualità della vita si attesta su un livello “neutro”. Le persone si sentono sicure, ma non considerano soddisfacente la situazione abitativa in quanto percepiscono di aver perso identità sociale e spirito di comunità. Conclusioni: Dai risultati sembra emergere, pertanto, che tale soluzione abitativa potrebbe rappresentare un ulteriore elemento di trauma che si sovrappone a quello sofferto nel periodo del terremoto

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN A POPULATION LIVING IN THE "NEW TOWNS" OF L'AQUILA AFTER THE 2009 EARTHQUAKE

Background: Following the earthquake in L'Aquila of 04.06.2009 more than 65,000 people lost their homes. In order to provide rapid accommodation to those people, the Italian Government implemented the CASE project (Complex Anti-seismic Sustainable Environment-friendly), with the construction of 19 "New town" in the surrounding areas of the city. The New towns are built in rural areas, far from the center of the city, without  many basic services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of mental disorders, the levels of psychological symptoms and quality of life in a sample of the population living in such reality. Methods: Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), were used. Results: 107 people were interviewed. The mean scores of the GSI of the BSI were 0.70 (SD=0.55). The total score of the IES-R scale was used and the cut-off represented by the 33 value, was exceeded by 59.81% of the sample. The average value was 37.85 (SD=19.49) (range 0-83). 14 people of them (21.88%) obtained an average value ≥ 60. The mean score on the MANSA was 4.5 (SD=0.98), range 1.8-6.3. Conclusion: From the results, it appears that this housing solution could be an additional element of trauma that overlaps with that suffered during the quake

Psychological symptoms and quality of life in a population living in the "New Towns" of L'Aquila after he 2009 earthquake

Background: Following the earthquake in L'Aquila of 04.06.2009 more than 65,000 people lost their homes. In order to provide rapid accommodation to those people, the Italian Government implemented the CASE project (Complex Anti-seismic Sustainable Environment-friendly), with the construction of 19 "New town" in the surrounding areas of the city. The New towns are built in rural areas, far from the center of the city, without  many basic services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of mental disorders, the levels of psychological symptoms and quality of life in a sample of the population living in such reality. Methods: Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), were used. Results: 107 people were interviewed. The mean scores of the GSI of the BSI were 0.70 (SD=0.55). The total score of the IES-R scale was used and the cut-off represented by the 33 value, was exceeded by 59.81% of the sample. The average value was 37.85 (SD=19.49) (range 0-83). 14 people of them (21.88%) obtained an average value ≥ 60. The mean score on the MANSA was 4.5 (SD=0.98), range 1.8-6.3. Conclusion: From the results, it appears that this housing solution could be an additional element of trauma that overlaps with that suffered during the quake

Psychological symptoms and quality of life after repeated exposure to earthquake: A cohort study in Italy.

In 2005, a random sample of 200 people were assessed in Camerino, Italy, eight years after an earthquake. Psychological symptom levels were low and only one person had current Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In 2016 a new earthquake occurred in Camerino. The study aims to assess the impact of the second exposure in the same cohort. A longitudinal study was conducted, 130 participants were re-interviewed between July and December 2017. Psychological symptoms were self-rated on the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Global Severity Index (GSI) was analysed. Post-traumatic stress symptoms were self-rated on the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Subjective quality of life (SQOL) was assessed on the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA). Mean scores of GSI and IES-R were significantly higher than in 2005 (p<0.01 and p<0.001), whilst SQOL remained almost unchanged (p = 0.163). In 2017, 16.9% of the sample had reached the PTSD threshold whilst in 2005 only the 0.5% had reached it. Despite low symptom levels several years after an earthquake, people can show psychological distress after a new exposure, whilst average quality of life levels are not affected