Mustafa Mardani, Fardin Alipour, Ramezanali Qaderi, Mohammad Sabzi Khoshnam,
Volume 2, Issue 3 (Spring 2017 -- 2017)
Abstract
Background: Experience of difficult incidents, besides its negative and adverse consequences, can have positive consequences and lead to the growth of people in several areas. Evaluating the status of posttraumatic growth in earthquake survivors could help better understand the various dimensions of this incident. The present study aimed to evaluate the status of posttraumatic growth in East Azerbaijan earthquake survivors.
Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical research. The study population consisted of East Azerbaijan earthquake survivors and the study sample included 295 survivors randomly selected from those who were eligible for the study. The research tools were a demographic questionnaire and posttraumatic growth inventory.
Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 43(14.3) years, and 50.5% of them were male. The mean (SD) of the posttraumatic growth score of the study sample was 48.25(21.18). The findings of this study showed that among posttraumatic growth dimensions, “spiritual changes” (11.11[5.1]) and “connecting with others” (4.9[2.3]) had the highest score, while the “new possibilities” got the lowest score (16.3[7.19]).
Conclusion: Posttraumatic growth issue requires further attention in the mental and social health policies. The study results indicate that despite the many problems that the earthquake creates for people, dealing with this disaster leads to positive psychological effects on people, too.
Mohammad Hossein Javadi, Soraya Sayar, Mohammad Sabzi Khoshnami, Sara Noruzi, Mahdokht Memaryan, Tahereh Azari Arghun, Farzaneh Yaghob, Zahra Afshari, Fatemeh Motiei,
Volume 5, Issue 3 (Spring-Special Issue on COVID-19 2020)
Abstract
Background: In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19’s outbreak as an international public health emergency. In March 2020, WHO evaluation showed that COVID-19 could be considered a pandemic disease. Nowadays, the spread of COVID-19 threatens all aspects of human living conditions. In this regard, the objectives of this research are to investigate the anxieties and concerns of the Iranian people regarding the spread of COVID-19 in the initial months of its outbreak.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with a qualitative methodology employing the conventional content analysis method. Data of anxieties and concerns of the general population were collected through social workers working at university/ medical schools throughout the country, affiliated healthcare centers, hotline 190, and social networks. The data collection process was saturated with 2920 theoretical data from February 27, 2020, to April 3, 2020.
Results: Anxieties and concerns of community members were categorized into 8 areas: 1- Confusion in communication with the surrounding environment, 2- Concerns about vulnerable groups being affected, 3- The necessity of informational support, 4- Economic turmoil, 5- Shortage of preventive and treatment facilities, 6 -weakness of social capital, 7- Stressful and destructive atmosphere, 8- Approaches for crisis management situation.
Conclusion: Based on the research findings, focusing and attention on people’s concerns in a transparent manner, and designing novel psychosocial support systems based on people’s real needs to control the disease spread result in the enhancement of social capital between community members to get through this crisis quickly.
