Katrina's lingering mental health effects on children & families
An article from the American Pyschological Association has been distributed by the Newswise service, shedding light on the longer-term experiences of the thousands of individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina - many of whom are, of course, mothers, fathers, and young children.
Among the APA's findings...
To date, two studies. . . of children affected by the hurricane have found high rates of depression, anxiety, behavioral problems and post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The LSUHSC team found that of the displaced and returning children, 54 percent were experiencing symptoms that put them in need of further mental health care. Symptoms were most common in children who had experienced previous loss or trauma. Furthermore, screening data collected from children returning to St. Bernard and New Orleans Parishes showed that over 31 percent reported clinically significant symptoms indicative of depression and PTSD.
According to New Orleans mental health and school officials, the issue for many of these children is not just the storm, but the dislocation from a parent, a home. . . According to these officials, programs that help these families get back on their feet and return to a sense of normalcy are often the most helpful to the psychological health of the children.
The take-away message: At this stage, we can can best contribute to emotional healing for these families by helping the parents to help themselves - Not just through healthcare or psychiatric services, but in terms of the bricks and mortar of everyday existence... rebuilding, economic growth and job development, nondiscriminatory socioeconomic opportunity, and public infrastructure. All of which must be understood as part of mental health advocacy.
For the full article: "One Year After Katrina, More is Known About its Mental Health Effects"