Áfallaröskun eftir snjóflóðin á Vestfjörðum

Abstract

In 1995 two small villages in north-west Iceland were hit by snow avalances. The first avalance fell in January in Súðavík, a village of approximately 200 inhabitants, killing 14 people; the second in October in Flateyri, a village of some 300 inhabitants, killing 20 people. A questionnaire study of adult survivors 16-75 years of age was carried out in the two villages, and inhabitants of a village (Raufarhöfn) in a no-danger area in another part of the country were investigated for comparison. The aim of the study was to estimate how many had been affected by Post¬traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and to find what characterized those who were more at risk than others. The criteria for PTSD according to the DSM-IV were measured by the IES and the PTSS-10 scales. In combination they estimated that 35% were affected by PTSD in Súðavík, 12-14 months after the disaster, and 48% in Flateyri 3-4 months after. In the comparative community 9% met the criteria for PTSD. Women were more at risk for suffering from PTSD, but also those who had suffered the greatest loss or damage. The results contribute to a better understanding of the psychological, social and medical consequences of disasters of this kind in Iceland, and provide researchers and clinical workers with instruments for diagnosing PTSD in future disasters and for evaluating and giving special attention to those who are most at risk.