Emotional impact of 2004 Asian tsunami on Singapore medical relief workers

Abstract

Objective: The aim was to study the emotional impact of the Asian tsunami on Singapore medical teams who responded in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Method: Health‐care workers who returned from the medical missions were offered crisis intervention sessions (CISD). After the session, they were invited to participate in the study. Participation was strictly voluntary and their responses were anonymous. Twenty‐two (73.3%) health‐care workers participated in the crisis intervention sessions and completed the questionnaires. Questionnaires used were: demographics, General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ), Impact of Events Scale (IES), CISD feedback form. Results: None of the 22 responders had GHQ ⩾5. In all, 40% of the participants scored moderate (8.6–19) to high (>19.0) on the IES. The mean (SD) IES total score was 10.0 (11.0), range 0–42, with both the intrusive and avoidance scales contributing equally to the total score. There were two workers (9.1%, 95% CI 1.1–29.2) with IES >30. About 80% of the...