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Cited by 37Grief, Bereavement, and Mental HealthMental Health Treatment and AccessPosttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

Trained volunteer-delivered mental health support to those bereaved by Asian Tsunami: an evaluation

Vijayakumar, L., Suresh Kumar, M.·2008·International Journal of Social Psychiatry
DOI 10.1177/0020764008090283
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Abstract

Introduction: While mental health consequences following the Asian December 2004 tsunami have been studied, its impact on the survivors who lost close family members deserves attention. We investigated the usefulness of trained volunteer-delivered mental health support for the bereaved persons. Method: Non-randomized control design involving all adults aged 18 years or above who lost at least one close family member during tsunami from two geographically different coastal areas in Chennai, India. From the intervention and control sites, 45 and 57 participants were recruited respectively for the study. One year after baseline assessment, all 102 participants in intervention and control sites were interviewed. Results: Participants receiving interventions on a consistent basis from trained volunteers were less likely to report depressive symptoms and general psychological distress compared with participants who did not receive the above intervention. Regression analysis for predicting the effect of intervention on the difference between the baseline and follow-up in BDI as well as GHQ scores, found a significant association between intervention and the improvement in BDI (adjusted β ( SE): —0.53 (2.44); p = 0.000) and GHQ (adjusted β ( SE): —0.52 (1.81); p = 0.001) scores. Suicidal attempts were also significantly less in the intervention group (FET p = 0.02). Conclusion: In settings where mental health professionals are limited in number, trained lay volunteers can offer empathetic listening, support and referrals that can be potentially beneficial.

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Crossref · 10.1177/0020764008090283

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  • The tsunami bereavement study findings should be interpreted cautiously because intervention groups differed in baseline demographic characteristics.

    “However, the findings of this study should be interpreted with caution because intervention groups' baseline demographic characteristics differed.”

    From Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings: linking practice and research (2011) · cites this paper as [72]

  • For adults bereaved by the 2004 tsunami, a home-visit befriending intervention by trained volunteers in India reduced PTSD and depressive symptoms and psychiatric screening scores, but did not improve a wellbeing index.

    “For adults bereaved by the 2004 tsunami, a home-visit befriending intervention delivered by trained volunteers in India recorded reduced PTSD and depressive symptoms, as well as reduced scores in a psychiatric screening measure, but did not cause improvements in a wellbeing index.”

    From Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings: linking practice and research (2011) · cites this paper as [72]

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Authors
Vijayakumar, L., & Suresh Kumar, M.
Affiliations
  • Voluntary Health Services Hospital (IN)
  • National Institute of Epidemiology (Indian Council of Medical Research), India,
ORCID
Vijayakumar, L.
Venue
International Journal of Social Psychiatry
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2008-07
Volume
54
Issue
4
Pages
293-302
ISSN
  • 0020-7640 (ISSN-L)
  • 1741-2854
DOI
10.1177/0020764008090283
OpenAlex
W2076124618
Cited by
37
References
39
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
FWCI
2.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • International Journal of Social Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Keywords
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, bereavement, grief, lay volunteers, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, suicide attempts, disaster mental health, post-traumatic stress, Chennai
MeSH terms
Workforce, Adolescent, Adult, Asia, Bereavement, Catchment Area, Health, Family, Female, Helping Behavior, Humans, India, Male, Mental Health Services, Professional Competence, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Teaching, Volunteers, Tidal Waves

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