Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and It’s Associated Factors among Secondary Level Students in Chautara Municipality, Nepal

Abstract

Children and adolescents are more prone to developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. Objective of this study was to assess the magnitude of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and associated factors among secondary level students in Chautara Municipality, Nepal. A cross sectional study was conducted among 249 secondary level students. Data were collected using population proportionate sampling method along with UCLA PTSD RI with 31 questionnaires DSM V tool was used to assess the PTSD symptom. Questionnaire was design to obtain socio demographic factor and earthquake exposure. Factor associated with PTSD development was assessed through chi square and binary logistic regression. Mean age of respondents was 15.42±1.079 years. Majority of them were middle adolescents (74.3%) and 25.7 percent were early adolescents. More than half of respondents were female 54.6 percent. This study revealed that PTSD was found to be among 27(10.8%) respondents and dissociative subtype PTSD was among 14(5.6%) respondents. Age was significantly associated with development of PTSD. Earthquake exposures like financial constraints after earthquake food deficiency displacement due to earthquake was the major factors associated with PTSD development. Psychological tutorship for PTSD is found to be protective factors for PTSD development in adolescents. PTSD was quite high among the secondary level students after six month of earthquake in Chautara municipality, Sindupalchwok district and psychological tutorship and humanitarian program for traumatized students could prevent development of PTSD.

Key words: Post traumatic stress disorder; Associated factors; Earthquake; Secondary levels students