UKZN study reveals impact of disasters on mental health
Communities that are exposed to disasters are likely to experience depression in the long term.
This is according to a study by the University of KwaZulu-Natal and international researchers conducted over ten years.
Dr Andrew Tomita of the School of Nursing and Public Health at UKZN led the study.
He says it involved 17 000 South Africans who were not suffering from depression at the start of the survey.
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"This included women, South African and individuals who are of low income and of low education."
The researchers say sustainable development policies and disaster risk reduction plans are needed to protect and support vulnerable populations.
"There needs to be a public investment for large house surveillance programme to create early warning systems and many of us are involved in this early warning system especially those who are socially vulnerable can receive in time information in a systematic way prior to the disasters so that the proper actions can be taken to mitigate the impact or disasters on mental health challenges."
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