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Lack of perceived social support among immigrants after a disaster: comparative study
- Authors:
- DROGENDIJK Annelieke N., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 198(4), April 2011, pp.317-322.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
It is suggested that immigrant groups affected by a disaster receive less emotional support than their native counterparts. However, it is unclear whether these differences existed before or can be attributed to post-disaster mental health problems. The authors examined the association between lack of social support, immigration status and victim status, as well as differences in support between immigrants and Dutch natives with disaster-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Social support and psychological distress were assessed among immigrants and Dutch native, affected and non-affected, individuals 2-3 weeks, 18 months and four years after a devastating explosion in a firework storage facility. The disaster–affected group initially consisted of 1567 residents; the control group comprised 640 non-exposed adults from a different part of the Netherlands. Affected immigrants more often lacked various kinds of perceived social support compared with affected Dutch natives. However, no differences in support were seen between affected immigrants and non-affected immigrants. Immigrants with PTSD differed on only two out of six aspects of support from the Dutch natives with PTSD. The authors conclude that differences in support between immigrants and Dutch natives were largely present before the disaster rather than being a consequence of the disaster.