Chilean Men Exposed to the Major Earthquake in 2010

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study involving 18 men, 4 years after one of South America’s most powerful natural disasters: An earthquake occurring off the coast of Chile in February 2010. Participants reported having developed new psychological health problems in the months following the catastrophe. The manifestations most frequently reported by participants were the presence of depressive and stress symptoms, as well as sleep disorders. The majority of participants registered scores of 33 and above on the Impact of Event Scale–Revised, indicating that they were suffering from posttraumatic stress. Furthermore, although the majority of interviewed men reported having suffered psychological or physical health problems following the disaster, only a small minority had sought help from professional health services. The article develops insights into the men’s social interactions and underlines the importance of supporting further research on red health topics, in particular the help-seeking behavior of men following exposure to natural disasters.