Disaster and Mental Health Vulnerabilities of South Asia: An Overview
摘要
The South Asia region is diverse in its geography, climate, culture, economic status, and sociopolitical history. It experiences frequent disasters, from extreme weather events to human-caused catastrophes. It has massive vulnerabilities regarding the number of people affected, inadequate disaster preparedness, scarce resources for disaster response, and meagre psychological support for the affected population. Studies suggest that a large proportion of disaster survivors present with psychiatric disorders and need professional support. It is essential to study the risk factors associated with post-disaster mental health morbidities and explore the methods to manage the disorders that are affecting a large number of people. It is pertinent to review the research findings and reflect on the areas that need further study. Managing disasters needs a multidisciplinary and multilevel approach with robust regional coordination and support. This chapter identifies the major catastrophic events in the eight South Asian countries, the extent of mental health vulnerabilities, the mental health impact of disasters in the region, and potential ways ahead for mitigating the mental health impact due to disasters.