The Awareness and Knowledge of Post-Disaster Emotional Responses in Adult Community Members and Nurses in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

Disasters are extraordinary events that have been causing fatalities and destruction throughout history. Indonesia in particular, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its geographical position in the world. Yogyakarta is one of the provinces within Indonesia that is at high risk of disasters. This province is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Prior studies show consistent findings that the chaos caused by disasters will lead to some degree to mental health problems. However, survivors of disasters might not have sufficient knowledge of the potential psychological impacts of a disaster, and this in turn may prevent them from seeking help when needed. Nurses, who are often at the front line in the aftermath of a disaster, also need to be aware of the potential mental health problems that may emerge within their local community. This study uses the cycle of disaster management response framework to investigate adult community member and nurse awareness and knowledge of posttraumatic emotional responses related to disasters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This is a qualitative, descriptive exploratory study, involving adult community members who live in Yogyakarta and nurses who work in Yogyakarta. Data from adult community participants were collected with interviews, while data from nurses were collected with focus groups. Data were transcribed and translated into English before the analysis. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. Three major themes were identified from adult community members: disaster impact, disaster responses, and post-disaster mental health awareness. Three major themes were identified from nurses: nurses’ knowledge and awareness of post-disaster emotional responses, nurses’ experiences of providing mental health support in disaster events, and nurses’ education and training related to disaster and mental health. The study found that participants were aware of intense emotional feelings just after the impact of a disaster, however, this awareness lessened over time, leaving them with no preparation regarding their mental wellbeing during the long process of recovery. The connectedness of people within their community as they rebuilt their homes and lives was very important in sustaining their wellbeing. Religious beliefs and engagement in religious activities were a significant coping strategy for many of the community members and nurses. However, a sense of “sadness” remained for some but was not recognized as a posttraumatic emotional response. Nurses also expressed their concern about their limited ability to assess, engage and educate their community about posttraumatic emotional responses related to disasters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Opportunities for training in post-disaster mental health were suggested. The original contribution of this study to the body of knowledge is that within the cycle of disaster management response framework, the early identification of posttraumatic emotional responses needs to be highlighted. This must take into consideration the relevant cultural and religious contexts of different countries. Increasing the community members’ and leaders’ (political, health and religious) awareness of posttraumatic emotional responses may influence a proactive approach to implementing community information and education programs that encourages people to access healthcare practitioners much earlier. Individuals’ mental wellbeing within a devastated community is the responsibility of that community including those who care for their physical and spiritual wellbeing.