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Mae Hong Son College, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. , siwaporn_mah@g.cmru.ac.th
Abstract: (27 Views)
Background: Earthquakes disrupt mental health, yet most research focuses on individuals rather than families. Few studies examine how family-level disaster knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) relate to post-disaster psychological outcomes.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 402 households affected by the 2025 Mae Hong Son earthquake in Northern Thailand. Multistage cluster sampling ensured representation of urban and rural districts. Standardized instruments assessed post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5), psychological distress (DASS-21), and family disaster-related KAP. Multiple regression examined associations with psychological distress while accounting for potential bias and confounding.
Results: Higher PTSD symptom severity was strongly associated with greater psychological distress (β = 0.59, p < 0.001). Greater family disaster-related knowledge was negatively associated with distress (β = −0.22, p < 0.001), whereas higher preparedness practices were positively associated with distress (β = 0.13, p = 0.008). Family attitudes showed a marginal association (β = 0.09, p = 0.053). The final model explained 44% of the variance.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates an associative relationship between family-centered disaster preparedness and post-earthquake psychological distress. Findings emphasize strengthening family disaster knowledge while addressing the psychological burden of preparedness practices. As family-level measures relied on a single household respondent, results require caution. Integrating family-oriented preparedness with trauma-informed mental health support may enhance resilience in seismically vulnerable, collectivist settings such as Thailand.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 402 households affected by the 2025 Mae Hong Son earthquake in Northern Thailand. Multistage cluster sampling ensured representation of urban and rural districts. Standardized instruments assessed post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5), psychological distress (DASS-21), and family disaster-related KAP. Multiple regression examined associations with psychological distress while accounting for potential bias and confounding.
Results: Higher PTSD symptom severity was strongly associated with greater psychological distress (β = 0.59, p < 0.001). Greater family disaster-related knowledge was negatively associated with distress (β = −0.22, p < 0.001), whereas higher preparedness practices were positively associated with distress (β = 0.13, p = 0.008). Family attitudes showed a marginal association (β = 0.09, p = 0.053). The final model explained 44% of the variance.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates an associative relationship between family-centered disaster preparedness and post-earthquake psychological distress. Findings emphasize strengthening family disaster knowledge while addressing the psychological burden of preparedness practices. As family-level measures relied on a single household respondent, results require caution. Integrating family-oriented preparedness with trauma-informed mental health support may enhance resilience in seismically vulnerable, collectivist settings such as Thailand.
Keywords: Family-Centered preparedness, Disaster knowledge, Community mental health, Disaster risk reduction, Mental health recovery
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This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-By-NC), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
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