Emergency Evacuations can have profound psychological effects on individuals, extending from short-term stress and anxiety to long-term trauma. In fact, according to the Effect of evacuation and displacement on the association between flooding and mental health outcomes: a cross-sectional analysis of UK survey data (Munro et al., 2017), in high-income countries such as the UK, besides immediate deaths from disasters the most significant burdens on health is none other than mental illness. Occupants are distressed due to the sudden change and uncertainty of the surrounding environment and the urgency to leave the premises during emergencies.

Some obvious short-term psychological impacts include fear of imminent danger and uncertainty of the situation, inducing intense anxiety and panic in evacuees. It is possible to fear the unknown, concern for loved ones and worry about personal belongings left behind. Evacuees may also feel loss and grief with or without witnessing distressing events, injuries and fatalities during evacuation.

Evacuees may also experience long-term psychological impacts such as disorientation and loss of control due to the disruption of daily life and routines; this causes cumulative distress. Another repercussion may be Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a severe, persistent psychological condition characterised by hyperarousal, flashbacks and nightmares—resulting in difficulties coping with new lives and processing daily activities.

In a population-based survey on the psychological symptoms of evacuees a year after the 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfires, 38% had a probable diagnosis of either post-traumatic stress, major depression, insomnia, generalised anxiety, substance use disorder, or a combination of these. They show the prevalence of psychological disorders caused by catastrophes on survivors.

Recognising emotional challenges due to emergency evacuations can help with the future preparedness of emergency planners and responders to design more compassionate and supportive procedures, such as collaborating with organisations that may provide ongoing support and counselling to help those struggling to recover. In addition, emotional challenge recognition should be included in emergency response planning for more all-rounded emergency responses to safeguard disaster survivors’ physical and psychological well-being.

References:

[1] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.655357/full