High incidence of trauma-related psychopathology in Lebanese expatriates after the Beirut explosion

Abstract

The Beirut explosion on August 4, 2020, was one of the most powerful explosions in history. Research on expatriate populations is limited in general and there have been no investigations into the impact of the explosion on expatriate mental health. Our goal is to investigate the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Lebanese expatriates following the Beirut explosion. The survey study included 1117 participants recruited nine months after the explosion. Participants completed the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) to screen for anxiety and depression and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) to assess the prevalence of PTSD. Of the 670 participants eligible, 41.2 % scored above the threshold for symptomatic anxiety and depression. Younger age, female sex, and presence in Lebanon during the explosion were associated with higher HSCL-25 scores. Of the 268 participants who completed the PCL-5, 57.5 % screened positive for probable PTSD. Female sex, younger age, and perceiving the explosion as intentional were associated with higher PCL-5 scores. Expatriates are prone to developing psychiatric symptoms following a traumatic event in their home country, regardless of direct exposure to the trauma or the length of time since they left their home country.