Chronic disaster impact: the long-term psychological and physical health consequences of housing damage due to induced earthquakes.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To evaluate the long-term (psychosomatic) health consequences of man-made earthquakes compared with a non-exposure control group. Exposure was hypothesised to have an increasingly negative impact on health outcomes over time.

Setting

Large-scale gas extraction in the Netherlands causing earthquakes and considerable damage.

Participants

A representative sample of inhabitants randomly selected from municipal population records; contacted 5 times during 21 months (T1: N=3934; T5: N=2150; mean age: 56.54; 50% men; at T5, N=846 (39.3%) had no, 459 (21.3%) once and 736 (34.2%) repeated damages).

Main measures

(Psychosomatic) health outcomes: self-rated health and Mental Health Inventory (both: validated; Short Form Health Survey); stress related health sym

SUBMITTER: Stroebe K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8103378 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature