Introduction to Disaster and Psychosocial First Aid

Introduction to Disaster

Disaster is a natural or human-made event. It causes severe damage to both human beings and the environment. The psychological and social issues caused by disasters generally go beyond the coping capacity of the affected community.

The intensity of the impact, damage created, and assistance required are the indicators that suggest whether any impact (natural or human-made) is a disaster. For example, an earthquake with large magnitude that happens in a desert cannot be termed as a disaster. If it occurs in a place where people live, it is said to be a disaster. 

Disaster experiences vary from individual to individual. The severity is influenced by the type of loss and exposure, emotional or physical closeness of the individual with the disaster, pre-existing vulnerabilities, his/her coping strategies and community resources. The interaction between the individual and environmental factors over the timespan shape experiences of the survivors who are directly affected or the care providers who involve in the rescue/relief operations. 

Impact of disaster

The impact caused by any disaster can be broadly classified into following domains;

• Physical : Damage caused to body/physical structures or worsening of pre-existing physical condition. E.g., injuries, rashes, fracture, maternity complications etc.
• Psychological : The psychological, emotional or behavioural responses to a disaster. E.g., shock, denial, fear, anger, sadness, flashbacks, increased use of substance etc.
• Social : Hardship created in the family or society due to the disaster. E.g., emergence of single parent families, migration, displacement, increase in crime rate etc.
• Economic : Financial, property and livelihood losses incurred. E.g., financial loss, loss of property, debt traps etc.

These impacts are interconnected. Therefore, caregivers need to understand the connection between these impacts and to normalise it through psychosocial support. 

Needs of the disaster survivors

Psychosocial First Aid (PSFA)

PSFA is a humane, supportive and practical assistance provided to a person immediately after a disaster. It involves providing support, assessing needs and concerns, helping people to meet basic needs, listening, comforting people and helping them to feel calm, helping people connect to information, services and social support and protecting people from further harm. 

World Health Organization (WHO) has given following four first aid strategies to guide the caregivers to deliver their service effectively.

Prepare

• Understand people and situation specific to a disaster
• Understand the biopsychosocial factors that make people vulnerable to a disaster
• Locate the survivors in the disaster area
• Identify resources within the community
• Immediate emotional reactions
• Physical health issues
• Psychosocial needs and concerns
• Availability of support within the family
• Availability of local/community resources
• Strengths of the survivors, their family and the community
• Listen to their needs and concerns
• Acknowledge their strengths
• Normalize the feelings and thoughts
• Give reassurance
• Ensure their safety
• Provide basic needs
• Connect survivors to their primary caregivers or loved ones
• Connect them to a safe place for shelter and fulfil their basic needs
• Connect them to a care facility based on their bio-psycho-social concerns (persons with mental illness to respective district mental health programs; unaccompanied child with the child protection agency; and hearing aid for persons with hearing impairment).

Remember

• Disaster generally goes beyond the coping ability of the survivors
• Disasters can be broadly classified into natural and human-made
• Impact of disaster is inter-connected
• Primary needs of the survivors have to be addressed before focusing on the higher needs
• PSFAis a humane, supportive and practical assistance provided to a person immediately after a disaster
• Prepare, look, listen and link are the four strategies of PSFA

Source : National Disaster Management Authority