Abstract  The aim of the present study was to survey a cohort population for the risk factors of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression, and the prevalence of different psychiatric disorders at 6 months and 2 and 3 years after a major earthquake. The Disaster‐Related Psychological Screening Test (DRPST), part I, and the Mini‐International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) were, respectively, administered by trained interviewers and psychiatrists in this community‐interview program. The prevalence of PTSD decreased from 8.3% at 6 months to 4.2% at 3 years after the earthquake. Suicidality increased from 4.2% at 6 months and 5.6% at 2 years to 6.0% at 3 years after the earthquake; drug abuse/dependence increased from 2.3% at 6 months to 5.1% at 3 years after the disaster. The risk factors for PTSD and major depression in various post‐disaster stages were determined. Earthquake survivors had a high percentage of psychiatric disorders in the first 2 years, and then the prevalence declined. Following the devastation caused by the Chi‐Chi earthquake, it is important to focus on treating symptoms of major depression and PTSD and eliminating the risk factors for both of these disorders in survivors to avoid the increase in suicidality.

Objective: To investigate quality of life (QOL) and related risk factors in Taiwanese earthquake survivors diagnosed with different psychiatric disorders 3 years after the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake. Method: This study was a population survey. Trained assistants used the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (MOS SF-36) and questionnaires to interview 405 respondents (189 men and 216 women) aged 16 years or older, who had been exposed to the earthquake. Psychiatrists interviewed the same respondents using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, with an adjusted response rate of 70.2%. Results: The prevalence range for psychiatric disorders in the earthquake survivors was 0.2–7.2% 3 years after the Chi-Chi earthquake, with rates for major depression (MD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of 6.4% and 4.4%, respectively. The QOL scores for the PTSD/MD group were lower than for the other two diagnostic groups, as determined by assessment of physical and mental aspects of functional integrity from MOS SF-36 scores. The predictors for poor QOL were age, female gender, economic problems, physical illness, subjective assessment of memory and social-activity decline and diagnosis of PTSD or MD. Conclusion: The QOL for earthquake survivors with psychiatric disorders, especially PTSD or MD, was inferior compared with the mentally healthy analogues, with contemporaneous decreases in mental and physical function scores across the QOL subscales. The persistence of long-term economic problems was one of many important factors affecting QOL.

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), provokes fear, anxiety and depression in the public, which further affects mental health issues. Taiwan has used their experience of the SARS epidemic for the management of foreseeable problems in COVID-19 endemic. Aim/Objective: This review summarizes issues concerning mental health problems related to infectious diseases from current literatures. Results: In suspected cases under quarantine, confirmed cases in isolation and their families, health care professionals, and the general population and related effective strategies to reduce these mental health issues, such as helping to identify stressors and normalizing their impact at all levels of response as well as public information and communication messages by electronic devices. The importance of community resilience was also addressed. Psychological first aid, psychological debriefing, mental health intervention and psychoeducation were also discussed. Issues concerning cultures and religions are also emphasized in the management plans. Conclusion: Biological disaster like SARS and COVID-19 not only has strong impact on mental health in those being infected and their family, friends, and coworkers, but also affect wellbeing in general public. There are evidenced that clear and timely psychoeducation, psychological first aid and psychological debriefing could amileorate negative impact of disaster, thus might also be helpful amid COVID-19 pandemic.