Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T02:30:23.961Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

International Adoption of Children Surviving the Haitian Earthquake

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 October 2017

Julie Pascal ,
Marion Décombas-Marion ,
Véronique Poirier ,
Alexandre Lautrette ,
Emilie Rigal ,
Julie Sciauvaud ,
Bruno Pereira ,
André Labbe  and
Olivier Lesens
Julie Pascal
Affiliation:
Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Marion Décombas-Marion
Affiliation:
Centre Hospitalier Sainte Marie, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Véronique Poirier
Affiliation:
Consultation d’Orientation et de Conseils en Adoption, CHU, Clermont-Ferrand, France Unit of Pediatrics, CHU-Estaing University Teaching Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Alexandre Lautrette
Affiliation:
Medical Intensive Care Unit, Gabriel Montpied Teaching Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France Laboratoire Micro-organismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), UMR CNRS 6023, Clermont University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Emilie Rigal
Affiliation:
Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Julie Sciauvaud
Affiliation:
Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Bruno Pereira
Affiliation:
University Hospital Biostatistics Unit (DCRI), Clermont-Ferrand, France
André Labbe
Affiliation:
Unit of Pediatrics, CHU-Estaing University Teaching Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Olivier Lesens*
Affiliation:
Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU, Clermont-Ferrand, France Consultation d’Orientation et de Conseils en Adoption, CHU, Clermont-Ferrand, France Laboratoire Micro-organismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), UMR CNRS 6023, Clermont University, Clermont-Ferrand, France
*
Correspondence and reprint request to Olivier Lesens, Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU, Clermont-Ferrand, France (e-mail: olesens@chu-clermontferrand.fr).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate resilience and frequency of behavioral symptoms in Haitian children internationally adopted before and after the earthquake of January 12, 2010.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective quantitative study in 40 Haitian children. Families were also asked to participate in a qualitative study (individual interview at 18-24 months after the earthquake) and to complete State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and STAI for children (STAI-C) questionnaires.

Results

Demographic and clinical characteristics were similar in the group who experienced the earthquake (n=22) and in the group who did not (n=18). The families of 30 adoptees were interviewed. There was no statistical difference between the two groups for the STAI (P=0.53) and STAI-C (P=0.75) or for the frequency of behavioral problems. Plenary adoption was pronounced for 84.6% and 33.3% of the children adopted in the pre- and post-earthquake group, respectively (P=0.02). Children rarely talked about the experience of the earthquake, which, by contrast, was a stressful experience for the adoptive families.

Conclusions

Haitian children adopted after the earthquake did not express more stress or behavioral problems than those adopted before it. However, the possibility of a resurgence of mental disorders after age 10 should be borne in mind. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:450–454)

Keywords

adopteeearthquakepost-traumatic stress disorderHaiti
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , August 2018 , pp. 450 - 454
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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

1. Lesens, O, Schmidt, A, De Rancourt, F, et al. Health care support issues for internationally adopted children: a qualitative approach to the needs and expectations of families. PLoS One. 12;7(2):e31313.Google Scholar
2. Askeland, KG, Hysing, M, Aarø, LE, Tell, GS, Sivertsen, B. Mental health problems and resilience in international adoptees: results from a population-based study of Norwegian adolescents aged 16-19 years. J Adolesc. 2015;44:48-56.Google Scholar
3. Keyes, MA, Sharma, A, Elkins, IJ, Iacono, WG, McGue, M. The mental health of US adolescents adopted in infancy. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(5):419-425.Google Scholar
4. Ministère des Affaires étrangères, statistiques de l’adoption internationale en 2007; http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/adopter-a-l-etranger/la-mission-de-l-adoption-internationale/les-statistiques-de-l-adoption/2007_59584. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
5. Ministère des Affaires étrangères, statistiques de l’adoption internationale en 2008; http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/adopter-a-l-etranger/la-mission-de-l-adoption-internationale/les-statistiques-de-l-adoption/article/2008-70404. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
6. Ministère des Affaires étrangères, statistiques de l’adoption international en 2009; http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/adopter-a-l-etranger/la-mission-de-l-adoption-internationale/les-statistiques-de-l-adoption/article/2009-78887. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
7. http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Rapportmaee2010defTC.pdf. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
8. Balsari, S, Lemery, J, Williams, TP, Nelson, BD. Protecting the children of Haiti. N Engl J Med. 2010;362(9):e25.Google Scholar
9. De Monléon, JV, Simonet-Font, L, Vinay, A, et al. SFP PC-85 – Etude comparative des enfants adoptés en Haïti, avant et après le séisme du 12 janvier 2010. Arch Pediatr. 2014;21(5):974.Google Scholar
10. Keyes, MA, Sharma, A, Elkins, IJ, Iacono, WG, McGue, M. The mental health of US adolescents adopted in infancy. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(5):419-425.Google Scholar
11. Mitchell, MA, Jenista, JA. Health care of the internationally adopted child. Part 2: chronic care long-term medical issues. J Pediatr Health Care. 1997;11(3):117-126.Google Scholar
12. Math, SB, Tandon, S, Girimaji, SC, et al. Psychological impact of the tsunami on children and adolescents from the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2008;10(1):31-37.Google Scholar
13. Tian, Y, Wong, TK, Li, J, Jiang, X. Posttraumatic stress disorder and its risk factors among adolescent survivors three years after an 8.0 magnitude earthquake in China. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:1073.Google Scholar
14. Usami, M, Iwadare, Y, Watanabe, K, et al. Decrease in the traumatic symptoms observed in child survivors within three years of the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. PLoS One. 2014;9(10):e110898.Google Scholar
15. Feo, P, Di Gioia, S, Carloni, E, Vitiello, B, Tozzi, AE, Vicari, S. Prevalence of psychiatric symptoms in children and adolescents one year after the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14:270.Google Scholar
16. La Voix du Nord, July 12, 2007. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/dossiers/region/enfants_darfour/070712_seule_solution_evacuer_les_orphelins.phtml. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
17. http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2012/12/02/arche-de-zoe-retour-sur-un-fiasco-humanitaire_1798665_3224.html. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
18. www.cic.gc.ca/francais/ministere/media/avis/avis-haiti35.aspx. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
19. www.rtl.be/info/belgique/societe/haiti-les-13-enfants-adoptes-sont-arrives-a-melsbroek-149122.aspx. Accessed September 14, 2017.Google Scholar
20. Feise, RJ. Do multiple outcome measures require p-value adjustment? BMC Med Res Methodol. 2002;2:8.Google Scholar
21. Armour, C. The underlying dimensionality of PTSD in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: where are we going? Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2015;6:28074.Google Scholar