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Post-Traumatic Stress among Evacuees from the 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfires: Exploration of Psychological and Sleep Symptoms Three Months after the Evacuation

Author

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  • Genevieve Belleville

    (School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada)

  • Marie-Christine Ouellet

    (School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada)

  • Charles M. Morin

    (School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada)

Abstract

This study documents post-traumatic stress symptoms after the May 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray (Alberta, Canada). A sample of 379 evacuees completed an online questionnaire from July to September 2016, and a subsample of 55 completed a psychiatric/psychological diagnostic interview. According to a self-report questionnaire, 62.5% of respondents had a provisional post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The interview confirmed that 29.1% met criteria for PTSD, 25.5% for depression, and 43.6% for insomnia; in most cases, insomnia was definitely or probably related to the fires. Traumatic exposure may elicit or exacerbate sleep problems, which are closely associated with PTSD after a disaster.

Suggested Citation

  • Genevieve Belleville & Marie-Christine Ouellet & Charles M. Morin, 2019. "Post-Traumatic Stress among Evacuees from the 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfires: Exploration of Psychological and Sleep Symptoms Three Months after the Evacuation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:9:p:1604-:d:229102
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lowe, Sarah R. & Joshi, Spruha & Pietrzak, Robert H. & Galea, Sandro & Cerdá, Magdalena, 2015. "Mental health and general wellness in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 162-170.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wanying Mao & Medard Adu & Ejemai Eboreime & Reham Shalaby & Nnamdi Nkire & Belinda Agyapong & Hannah Pazderka & Gloria Obuobi-Donkor & Ernest Owusu & Folajinmi Oluwasina & Yanbo Zhang & Vincent I. O., 2022. "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Wildfires: A Fifth-Year Postdisaster Evaluation among Residents of Fort McMurray," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-21, August.
    2. Magdalena Sycińska-Dziarnowska & Liliana Szyszka-Sommerfeld & Karolina Kłoda & Michele Simeone & Krzysztof Woźniak & Gianrico Spagnuolo, 2021. "Mental Health Interest and Its Prediction during the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Google Trends," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Fadia Isaac & Samia R. Toukhsati & Mirella Di Benedetto & Gerard A. Kennedy, 2021. "A Systematic Review of the Impact of Wildfires on Sleep Disturbances," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, September.
    4. Fadia Isaac & Samia R. Toukhsati & Britt Klein & Mirella Di Benedetto & Gerard A. Kennedy, 2023. "Differences in Anxiety, Insomnia, and Trauma Symptoms in Wildfire Survivors from Australia, Canada, and the United States of America," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Emily Ying Yang Chan & Holly Ching Yu Lam, 2020. "Research Frontiers of Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management: What Do We Know So Far?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-4, March.
    6. Giuseppina Spano & Mario Elia & Onofrio Cappelluti & Giuseppe Colangelo & Vincenzo Giannico & Marina D’Este & Raffaele Lafortezza & Giovanni Sanesi, 2021. "Is Experience the Best Teacher? Knowledge, Perceptions, and Awareness of Wildfire Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-12, August.

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