Psychosocial Impact of Psychosocial Impact of Disaster on Vulnerable Disaster on Vulnerable GroupsGroups

Who are the vulnerable Who are the vulnerable groups? groups?

ChildrenChildren WomenWomen MenMen ElderlyElderly Physically & Mentally Physically & Mentally

handicappedhandicapped (any others ?)(any others ?)

Impact on childrenImpact on children

Children have great resilience and Children have great resilience and can heal faster, even after can heal faster, even after undergoing a traumatic event undergoing a traumatic event ((T/F?T/F?))

Children, especially young Children, especially young children are not effected by children are not effected by disaster (disaster (T/F?T/F?))

Impact on childrenImpact on children

Answer : Answer : FALSEFALSE The impact is even more severe for The impact is even more severe for

children than adults. children than adults. Children are Children are greatly influenced by traumatigreatly influenced by traumaticc events (witnessing death, events (witnessing death, separated from their parents, left separated from their parents, left as orphanas orphans). They can also sense s). They can also sense whatwhat their parents have gone their parents have gone through. through.

How can this happen? How can this happen?

oParents who have undergone traumaParents who have undergone trauma decreases parent’s ability to provide decreases parent’s ability to provide emotional support and protection for their emotional support and protection for their children. children.

oViolent attacks experienced by the Violent attacks experienced by the parents, such as physical abuse will also parents, such as physical abuse will also trauamatize the children. trauamatize the children.

oParents tend to deny their child’s feelings. Parents tend to deny their child’s feelings. oChildren lack the ability to express their Children lack the ability to express their feeling.feeling.

Impact on WomenImpact on Women

Forces women to become the Forces women to become the backbone of the family.backbone of the family.

Vulnerable to violence. For Vulnerable to violence. For example: rape, physical example: rape, physical abuse at home.abuse at home.

Ashamed / lacks courage to Ashamed / lacks courage to report to the proper report to the proper authorities.authorities.

Repetitive traumaRepetitive trauma getting a getting a sexually transmitted disease, sexually transmitted disease, must endure an unwanted must endure an unwanted pregnancy, etc.pregnancy, etc.

Impact on MenImpact on Men

Often neglectedOften neglectedmen are men are mistakenly mistakenly considered as considered as strong person.strong person.

Trauma can cause Trauma can cause significant significant changes for men, changes for men, SAME AS OTHER SAME AS OTHER GROUPS.GROUPS.

Impact on the Impact on the Physically & Mentally Physically & Mentally HandicappedHandicapped

Have different needs than Have different needs than normal people. normal people.

Due to a disaster Due to a disaster lost of lost of medical care and services medical care and services they are accustomed to. they are accustomed to. They are often neglected by They are often neglected by others. others.

Marginalized, isolated, Marginalized, isolated, become victims again. become victims again.

At greater risk of At greater risk of malnutrition, disease, lack of malnutrition, disease, lack of proper medical attention.proper medical attention.

Impact on ElderlyImpact on Elderly

Biggest pressure Biggest pressure sense sense of of LOSSLOSS

Often neglected.Often neglected. Have different routines Have different routines

and rhythm than young and rhythm than young people. people.

Symptoms are Symptoms are misinterpreted as mere misinterpreted as mere signs of aging. signs of aging.

Also vulnerable to adjustment Also vulnerable to adjustment problems? (1)problems? (1) Lost a close family member. Lost a close family member. Experienced a life threatening situation. Experienced a life threatening situation. Witnessed death or someone getting Witnessed death or someone getting

injured.injured. Eyewitness to a traumatic event.Eyewitness to a traumatic event. Lost their homes, belongings or shelter.Lost their homes, belongings or shelter. Lost of family support.Lost of family support.

Also vulnerable… ? (2)Also vulnerable… ? (2)

Those who has high emotional Those who has high emotional demand (for example: keep demand (for example: keep requesting the evacuation team requesting the evacuation team to collect corpses)to collect corpses)

Exhausted, hungry and very Exhausted, hungry and very sleepysleepy

Have repeatedly faced danger, Have repeatedly faced danger, loss, physical / emotional stress. loss, physical / emotional stress.

Vulnerable to more severe stress? Vulnerable to more severe stress?

Has experienced a traumatic event in the past.Suffers from a chronic disease or psychological

problem.Lives under harsh living conditions (poor, homeless,

unemployed)Currently faces or has faced heavy emotional

stress.