Community resilience and associated factors in Fort McMurray a year after the devastating flood

INTRODUCTION: A natural disaster like flooding causes loss of properties and evacuation and effective mental health. Resilience after natural disasters is a crucial area of research which needs attention. OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence and associated factors of low resilience a year after the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European Psychiatry
Main Authors: Obuobi-Donkor, G., Eboreime, E., Shalaby, R., Agyapong, B., Adu, M., Owusu, E., Mao, W., Agyapong, V. I. O.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2023
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Online Access:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10479425/
https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.2102
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Summary:INTRODUCTION: A natural disaster like flooding causes loss of properties and evacuation and effective mental health. Resilience after natural disasters is a crucial area of research which needs attention. OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence and associated factors of low resilience a year after the 2020 floods in Fort McMurray. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Fort McMurray using online surveys. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 25 using univariate analysis with the chi-squared test and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of low resilience was 37.4%. Respondents under 25 years were nearly 26 times more likely to show low resilience (OR= 0.038; 95% CI 0.004 - 0.384). Responders with a history of depression and anxiety (OR= 0.212; CI 95% 0.068-0.661) were nearly four to five times more likely to show low resilience. Similarly, respondents willing to receive mental health counselling (OR=0.134 95%CI: 0.047-0.378) were 7.5 times more likely to show low resilience. Participants residing in the same house before the flood were almost 11 times more likely to show low resilience (OR=0.095; 95% CI 0.021- 0.427), and support from the Government of Alberta was a protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed demographic, clinical, and flood-related variables contributing to low resilience. Receiving support from the Government was shown to be a protective factor against low resilience. More robust measures must be in place to promote normal to high resilience among flood victims in affected communities. DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST: None Declared