Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and Health

Objective To assess the association between flooding/repeat flooding and: (1) psychological morbidity (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) and (2) health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 6 months post-flooding.Design Cross-sectional analysis of data from the English Nationa...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Isabel Oliver, Clare E French, Thomas D Waite, Ben Armstrong, G. James Rubin, Charles R Beck
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-11-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/11/e031562.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846149971999457280
author Isabel Oliver
Clare E French
Thomas D Waite
Ben Armstrong
G. James Rubin
Charles R Beck
author_facet Isabel Oliver
Clare E French
Thomas D Waite
Ben Armstrong
G. James Rubin
Charles R Beck
author_sort Isabel Oliver
collection DOAJ
description Objective To assess the association between flooding/repeat flooding and: (1) psychological morbidity (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) and (2) health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 6 months post-flooding.Design Cross-sectional analysis of data from the English National Study of Flooding and Health.Setting Cumbria, England.Participants Questionnaires were sent to 2500 residential addresses at 6 months post-flooding; 590 people responded.Outcomes Probable depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, probable anxiety using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale and probable PTSD using the short-form PTSD checklist (PCL-6). HRQoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L. Mental health outcomes were analysed using logistic regression; HRQoL dimensions using ordinal regression; and summary index/Visual Analogue Scale scores using linear regression.Results One hundred and nineteen participants had been flooded, over half of whom were experiencing a repeat flooding event (54%; n=64). Mental health outcomes were elevated among flooded compared with unaffected participants (adjusted OR for probable depression: 7.77, 95% CI: 1.51 to 40.13; anxiety: 4.16, 95% CI: 1.18 to 14.70; PTSD: 14.41, 95% CI: 3.91 to 53.13). The prevalence of depression was higher among repeat compared with single flooded participants, but this was not significant after adjustment. There was no difference in levels of anxiety or PTSD. Compared with unaffected participants, those flooded had lower EQ-5D-5L index scores (adjusted coefficient: −0.06, 95% CI: −0.12 to −0.01) and lower self-rated health scores (adjusted coefficient: −6.99, 95% CI: −11.96 to −2.02). There was, however, little difference in HRQoL overall between repeat and single flooded participants.Conclusions Interventions are needed to help minimise the impact of flooding on people’s mental health and HRQoL.
format Article
id doaj-art-91f6518b64084775b85c8cf2277c2e42
institution Kabale University
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2019-11-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-91f6518b64084775b85c8cf2277c2e422024-11-29T07:25:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-11-0191110.1136/bmjopen-2019-031562Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and HealthIsabel Oliver0Clare E French1Thomas D Waite2Ben Armstrong3G. James Rubin4Charles R Beck5National Infection Service, Public Health England, Bristol, UK1 NIHR Health Protection Unit in Evaluation of Interventions, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK3 National Infection Service, Public Health England, London, UKprofessor5 Department of Psychological Medicine, Weston Education Centre, King’s College London NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, London, UK1 NIHR Health Protection Unit in Evaluation of Interventions, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UKObjective To assess the association between flooding/repeat flooding and: (1) psychological morbidity (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) and (2) health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 6 months post-flooding.Design Cross-sectional analysis of data from the English National Study of Flooding and Health.Setting Cumbria, England.Participants Questionnaires were sent to 2500 residential addresses at 6 months post-flooding; 590 people responded.Outcomes Probable depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, probable anxiety using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale and probable PTSD using the short-form PTSD checklist (PCL-6). HRQoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L. Mental health outcomes were analysed using logistic regression; HRQoL dimensions using ordinal regression; and summary index/Visual Analogue Scale scores using linear regression.Results One hundred and nineteen participants had been flooded, over half of whom were experiencing a repeat flooding event (54%; n=64). Mental health outcomes were elevated among flooded compared with unaffected participants (adjusted OR for probable depression: 7.77, 95% CI: 1.51 to 40.13; anxiety: 4.16, 95% CI: 1.18 to 14.70; PTSD: 14.41, 95% CI: 3.91 to 53.13). The prevalence of depression was higher among repeat compared with single flooded participants, but this was not significant after adjustment. There was no difference in levels of anxiety or PTSD. Compared with unaffected participants, those flooded had lower EQ-5D-5L index scores (adjusted coefficient: −0.06, 95% CI: −0.12 to −0.01) and lower self-rated health scores (adjusted coefficient: −6.99, 95% CI: −11.96 to −2.02). There was, however, little difference in HRQoL overall between repeat and single flooded participants.Conclusions Interventions are needed to help minimise the impact of flooding on people’s mental health and HRQoL.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/11/e031562.full
spellingShingle Isabel Oliver
Clare E French
Thomas D Waite
Ben Armstrong
G. James Rubin
Charles R Beck
Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and Health
BMJ Open
title Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and Health
title_full Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and Health
title_fullStr Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and Health
title_full_unstemmed Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and Health
title_short Impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional analysis of the English National Study of Flooding and Health
title_sort impact of repeat flooding on mental health and health related quality of life a cross sectional analysis of the english national study of flooding and health
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/11/e031562.full
work_keys_str_mv AT isabeloliver impactofrepeatfloodingonmentalhealthandhealthrelatedqualityoflifeacrosssectionalanalysisoftheenglishnationalstudyoffloodingandhealth
AT clareefrench impactofrepeatfloodingonmentalhealthandhealthrelatedqualityoflifeacrosssectionalanalysisoftheenglishnationalstudyoffloodingandhealth
AT thomasdwaite impactofrepeatfloodingonmentalhealthandhealthrelatedqualityoflifeacrosssectionalanalysisoftheenglishnationalstudyoffloodingandhealth
AT benarmstrong impactofrepeatfloodingonmentalhealthandhealthrelatedqualityoflifeacrosssectionalanalysisoftheenglishnationalstudyoffloodingandhealth
AT gjamesrubin impactofrepeatfloodingonmentalhealthandhealthrelatedqualityoflifeacrosssectionalanalysisoftheenglishnationalstudyoffloodingandhealth
AT charlesrbeck impactofrepeatfloodingonmentalhealthandhealthrelatedqualityoflifeacrosssectionalanalysisoftheenglishnationalstudyoffloodingandhealth