L. Mcmurray et W. Steiner, Natural disasters and service delivery to individuals with severe mental illness - Ice Storm 1998, CAN J PSY, 45(4), 2000, pp. 383-385
Citations number
11
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,"Clinical Psycology & Psychiatry
Journal title
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY-REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE
Objective: To review the literature on the responses of individuals with se
vere mental illness (SMI) to natural disasters, to describe the impact of t
he 1998 Ice Storm on a group of SMI patients, and to describe the steps tak
en at a Canadian university teaching hospital to ensure the ongoing provisi
on of mental health services throughout the crisis.
Method: Published articles describing the impact of natural disasters on SM
I populations, as well as service provision to these patients, are reviewed
. Service use at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiat
ry is described A questionnaire about the impact of the ice storm was admin
istered to a group of patients in an assertive community treatment program.
Results: Service use during this natural disaster was consistent with that
described in the literature, in that these patients were no more likely to
be admitted or to visit the emergency room during the crisis. Continuous me
ntal health service delivery may have contributed to this positive outcome.
This service delivery was provided by ensuring staff access to information
, by securing the physical safety of both staff and patients, and by taking
a flexible, outreach-oriented approach to service delivery.
Conclusions: SMI patients who have ongoing access to psychiatric services i
n disaster situations tend to cope well. A flexible, proactive, assertive a
pproach to service delivery during the crisis situation will help to ensure
that needs for care will be met.