2. Psychosocial Impact of Disaster on Vulnerable Groups

3. Who are the vulnerable groups? Children Children Women Women Men Men Elderly Elderly Physically & Mentally handicapped Physically & Mentally handicapped (any others ?) (any others ?)

4. Impact on children Children have great resilience and can heal faster, even after undergoing a traumatic event (T/F?) Children have great resilience and can heal faster, even after undergoing a traumatic event (T/F?) Children, especially young children are not effected by disaster (T/F?) Children, especially young children are not effected by disaster (T/F?)

5. Impact on children Answer : FALSE The impact is even more severe for children than adults. Children are greatly influenced by traumatic events (witnessing death, separated from their parents, left as orphans). They can also sense what their parents have gone through.

6. How can this happen? o Parents who have undergone trauma  decreases parent’s ability to provide emotional support and protection for their children. o Violent attacks experienced by the parents, such as physical abuse will also trauamatize the children. o Parents tend to deny their child’s feelings. o Children lack the ability to express their feeling.

7. Impact on Women Forces women to become the backbone of the family. Forces women to become the backbone of the family. Vulnerable to violence. For example: rape, physical abuse at home. Vulnerable to violence. For example: rape, physical abuse at home. Ashamed / lacks courage to report to the proper authorities. Ashamed / lacks courage to report to the proper authorities. Repetitive trauma  getting a sexually transmitted disease, must endure an unwanted pregnancy, etc. Repetitive trauma  getting a sexually transmitted disease, must endure an unwanted pregnancy, etc.

8. Impact on Men Often neglected  Often neglected  men are mistakenly considered as strong person. Trauma can cause significant changes for men, SAME AS OTHER GROUPS. Trauma can cause significant changes for men, SAME AS OTHER GROUPS.

9. Impact on the Physically & Mentally Handicapped Have different needs than normal people. Have different needs than normal people. Due to a disaster  lost of medical care and services they are accustomed to. They are often neglected by others. Due to a disaster  lost of medical care and services they are accustomed to. They are often neglected by others. Marginalized, isolated, become victims again. Marginalized, isolated, become victims again. At greater risk of malnutrition, disease, lack of proper medical attention. At greater risk of malnutrition, disease, lack of proper medical attention.

10. Impact on Elderly Biggest pressure  sense of LOSS Biggest pressure  sense of LOSS Often neglected. Often neglected. Have different routines and rhythm than young people. Have different routines and rhythm than young people. Symptoms are misinterpreted as mere signs of aging. Symptoms are misinterpreted as mere signs of aging.

11. Also vulnerable to adjustment problems? (1) Lost a close family member. Lost a close family member. Experienced a life threatening situation. Experienced a life threatening situation. Witnessed death or someone getting injured. Witnessed death or someone getting injured. Eyewitness to a traumatic event. Eyewitness to a traumatic event. Lost their homes, belongings or shelter. Lost their homes, belongings or shelter. Lost of family support. Lost of family support.

12. Also vulnerable… ? (2) Those who has high emotional demand (for example: keep requesting the evacuation team to collect corpses) Those who has high emotional demand (for example: keep requesting the evacuation team to collect corpses) Exhausted, hungry and very sleepy Exhausted, hungry and very sleepy Have repeatedly faced danger, loss, physical / emotional stress. Have repeatedly faced danger, loss, physical / emotional stress.

13. Vulnerable to more severe stress? Has experienced a traumatic event in the past. Suffers from a chronic disease or psychological problem. Lives under harsh living conditions (poor, homeless, unemployed) Currently faces or has faced heavy emotional stress.