Natural disasters in developing countries: mental health issues.

摘要

Natural disasters are not only more common in developing countries but also have greater devastating impact. Ninety percent of natural disasters and 95% of disaster-related deaths occur in developing countries.111 There are various reasons for this, viz., poor warning systems, inadequate emergency response during disaster, poor preparedness and mitigation measures for the disasters. Besides, disasters in developing countries usually affect a comparatively large number of people. Poor connectivity to affected areas and deficit in resources for acute relief appear as important determinants of morbidity. Pre-disaster factors like lower economic status, poor housing quality and poor communication systems add to the misery.