Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-jr42d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T11:03:44.290Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Health-Related Quality of Life After the 2015 Gorkha Earthquakes, Among Older Adults Living in Lalitpur District of Central Nepal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2020

Sabina Wagle ,
Kwanjai Amnatsatsue ,
Bipin Adhikari Open the ORCID record for Bipin Adhikari [Opens in a new window] ,
Patcharaporn Kerdmongkol ,
Marc Van der Putten  and
Pimpan Silpasuwan
Sabina Wagle*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Kwanjai Amnatsatsue
Affiliation:
Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Bipin Adhikari
Affiliation:
Nepal Community Health and Development Centre, Balaju, Kathmandu, Nepal Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Patcharaporn Kerdmongkol
Affiliation:
Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Marc Van der Putten
Affiliation:
Faculty of Public Health, Thammasart University, Bangkok, Thailand
Pimpan Silpasuwan
Affiliation:
Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Sabina Wagle, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, 420/1 Ratchawithi Rd, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok10400, Thailand (e-mail: sabushre@gmail.com).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

Health-related quality of life (HQL) among older adults is often neglected and underprioritized in developing countries and is further burdened during natural disasters, such as earthquakes. The main objective of this study was to explore the factors affecting HQL among older adults living in Lalitpur District of Nepal.

Methods:

A total of 362 older adults participated in this study. Questionnaires were used to interview the respondents on various aspects, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, functional ability, and social support. An analysis was made to explore the factors affecting HQL.

Results:

HQL scores ranged between 3.13 and 90.63. A majority of the respondents (215/362; 59.4%) scored ≤ 50, indicating poorer HQL. The multivariate analysis found the impact of the following factors on HQL: functional status (β = 0.295; P < 0.001), PTSD (β = −0.225; P < 0.001), chronic disease (β = −0.168; P < 0.001), social support (β = 0.120; P = 0.019), injury (β = −0.104; P = 0.024), age (β = −0.116; P < 0.001), and accessibility to resources.

Conclusion:

Poor HQL of older adults was dependent on various factors. The disaster preparedness program in Nepal needs urgent attention to address the concerns of older adults by incorporating the findings from this study.

Keywords

Gorkha earthquakes 2015health-related quality of lifeNepalolder adults
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , June 2021 , pp. 298 - 307
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Mishra, SR, Adhikari, B. Planetary health in Nepal’s post-earthquake rebuilding agenda: progress and future directions. Lancet Planet Health. 2019;3(2):e55-e56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adhikari, B, Mishra, SR, Babu Marahatta, S, et al. Earthquakes, fuel crisis, power outages, and health care in Nepal: implications for the future. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2017;11(5):625-632.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parker, G, Lie, D, Siskind, DJ, et al. Mental health implications for older adults after natural disasters – a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Psychogeriatr. 2016;28(1):11-20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bartels, SA, VanRooyen, MJ. Medical complications associated with earthquakes. Lancet. 2012;379(9817):748-757.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neria, Y, Shultz, JM. Mental health effects of Hurricane Sandy: characteristics, potential aftermath, and response. JAMA. 2012;308(24):2571-2572.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stratta, P, Rossi, A. Suicide in the aftermath of the L’Aquila (Italy) earthquake. Crisis. 2013;34(2):142-144.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen, SL, Lee, CS, Yen, AM, et al. A 10-year follow-up study on suicidal mortality after 1999 Taiwan earthquake. J Psychiatr Res. 2016;79:42-49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cao, X, Chen, L, Tian, L, Jiang, X. Psychological distress and health-related quality of life in relocated and nonrelocated older survivors after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Asian Nurs Res. 2015;9(4):271-277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Khachadourian, V, Armenian, HK, Demirchyan, A, Goenjian, A. Loss and psychosocial factors as determinants of quality of life in a cohort of earthquake survivors. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2015;13:13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Society for Earthquake Technology Nepal (NSET). Gorkha earthquake. http://www.nset.org.np/eq2015/. Accessed July 28, 2019.Google Scholar
Worldometers. Nepal population. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/nepal-population/. Accessed July 28, 2019.Google Scholar
Adhikari, B, Mishra, SR, Raut, S. Rebuilding earthquake struck Nepal through community engagement. Frontiers Public Health. 2016;4:121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Government of Nepal. Nepal Earthquake 2015: Executive summary on Nepal earthquake post disaster need assessment; 2015.Google Scholar
Asokan, GV, Vanitha, A. Disaster response under One Health in the aftermath of Nepal earthquake, 2015. J Epidemiol Global Health. 2017;7:91-96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairas (UNOCHA). Nepal flash appeal revision, Nepal earthquake. 2015. http://un.org.np/reports/nepal-flash-appeal-revision-april-september-2015. Accessed July 28, 2019.Google Scholar
Government of Nepal. Aftershocks of Gorkha earthquake. 2016. http://www.seismonepal.gov.np. Accessed July 28, 2019.Google Scholar
Luitel, NP, Jordans, MJ, Sapkota, RP, et al. Conflict and mental health: a cross-sectional epidemiological study in Nepal. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2013;48(2):183-193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Karki, S, Bhatta, DN, Aryal, UR. Older people’s perspectives on an elderly-friendly hospital environment: an exploratory study. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2015;8:81-89.Google Scholar
Mishra, SR. Nepal’s slow road to recovery, 1 year after the earthquakes. Lancet. 2016;387(10029):1709-1710.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shrestha, R. Post-traumatic stress disorder among medical personnel after Nepal earthquake, 2015. J Nepal Health Res Counc. 2015;13(30):144-148.Google ScholarPubMed
Fujii, S, Kato, H, Maeda, K. A simple interview-format screening measure for disaster mental health: an instrument newly developed after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan – the Screening Questionnaire for Disaster Mental Health (SQD). Kobe J Med Sci. 2007;53(6):375-385.Google Scholar
Lawton, MP, Brody, EM. Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist. 1969;9:179-186.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carver, CS. You want to measure coping but your protocol’too long: consider the brief cope. Int J Behav Med. 1997;4(1):92-100.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zimet, GD, Powell, SS, Farley, GK, et al. Psychometric characteristics of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. J Personal Assess. 1990;55(3-4): 610-617.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, BW, Dalen, J, Wiggins, K, et al. The Brief Resilience Scale: assessing the ability to bounce back. Int J Behav Med. 2008;15(3):194-200.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ware, JE, Kosinski, M, Keller, SD. A 12-item Short-Form Health Survey: construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity. Med Care. 1996;34(3):220-233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jia, ZB, Tian, WH, Liu, WZ, et al. Are the elderly more vulnerable to psychological impact of natural disaster? A population-based survey of adult survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. BMC Public Health. 2010;10:172.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sudaryo, MK, Besral, , Endarti, AT, et al. Injury, disability and quality of life after the 2009 earthquake in Padang, Indonesia: a prospective cohort study of adult survivors. Glob Health Action. 2012;5:1-11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wen, J, Shi, YK, Li, YP, et al. Quality of life, physical diseases, and psychological impairment among survivors 3 years after Wenchuan earthquake: a population based survey. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43081.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, N, Zeng, L, Li, Z, Wang, J. Health-related quality of life and long-term care needs among elderly individuals living alone: a cross-sectional study in rural areas of Shaanxi Province, China. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yadav, RK. Ageing population in Nepal: challenges and management. Acad Voices Multidiscip J. 2013;2(1):48-53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xu, J, Song, X. Posttraumatic stress disorder among survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake 1 year after: prevalence and risk factors. Compr Psychiatry. 2011;52(4):431-437.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rijal, A. Mental health situation in Nepal and priorities for interventions. Health Prospect J Public Health. 2018;17:1-3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liang, Y, Ju, W. Interpersonal trust and ability of elderly victims to perform activities of daily living in the Ya’an earthquake reconstruction area, China. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2016;10:739-745.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Xie, X, Chen, Y, Chen, H, et al. Predictors of quality of life and depression in older people living in temporary houses 13 months after the Wenchuan earthquake in western China: a cross-sectional study. Nurs Health Sci. 2017;19(2):170-175.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liang, Y, Wang, X. Developing a new perspective to study the health of survivors of Sichuan earthquakes in China: a study on the effect of post-earthquake rescue policies on survivors’ health-related quality of life. Health Res Policy Syst. 2013;11:41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adhikari, B, Phommasone, K, Pongvongsa, T, et al. Treatment-seeking behaviour for febrile illnesses and its implications for malaria control and elimination in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR (Laos): a mixed method study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019;19(1):252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Acharya, J, Kaehler, N, Marahatta, SB, et al. Hidden costs of hospital based delivery from two tertiary hospitals in Western Nepal. PLoS One. 2016;11(6):e0157746.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kelly, C, Hulme, C, Farragher, T, Clarke, G. Are differences in travel time or distance to healthcare for adults in global north countries associated with an impact on health outcomes? A systematic review. BMJ Open. 2016;6(11):e013059.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adhikari, RP, Upadhaya, N, Paudel, S, et al. Psychosocial and mental health problems of older people in post-earthquake Nepal. J Aging Health. 2018;30:945-964.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ke, X, Liu, CJ, Li, N. Social support and quality of life: a cross-sectional study on survivors eight months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. BMC Public Health. 2010;10:573.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Dyck, D, Teychenne, M, McNaughton, SA, et al. Relationship of the perceived social and physical environment with mental health-related quality of life in middle-aged and older adults: mediating effects of physical activity. PLoS One. 2015;10(3):e0120475.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chan, EYY, Man, AYT, Lam, HCY. Scientific evidence on natural disasters and health emergency and disaster risk management in Asian rural-based area. Br Med Bull. 2019;129(1):91-105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Government of Nepal National Planning Commission. Nepal and the millenium development goals. Final status report 2000–2015. https://www.npc.gov.np/images/category/MDG-Status-Report-2016_.pdf. Accessed July 19, 2019.Google Scholar
Adhikari, B, Pell, C, Phommasone, K, et al. Elements of effective community engagement: lessons from a targeted malaria elimination study in Lao PDR (Laos). Glob Health Action. 2017;10(1):1366136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adhikari, B, James, N, Newby, G, et al. Community engagement and population coverage in mass anti-malarial administrations: a systematic literature review. Malar J. 2016;15(1):523.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peleg, K. Notes from Nepal: is there a better way to provide search and rescue? Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2015;9(6):650-652.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Wagle et al. supplementary material

Wagle et al. supplementary material

Download Wagle et al. supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 327.9 KB