Environmental and Psychosocial Factors Associated with Panic Attack Symptoms After the February 27 2010 Earthquake And Tsunami in the Central Zone of Chile

The present research provides a first screening of the presence of panic attack symptoms and their relation to some variables associated with the magnitude of the damage suffered by individuals exposed to the earthquake occurred on February 27 2010 in the central zone of Chile. A total of 150 adults that lived in several cities and villages of the central zone of Chile were assessed to determine the presence of panic attack symptoms within the first two weeks after the catastrophe. The results indicate more physical and psychical panic attack symptoms on those individuals that lose some of their belongings and on those that were exposed to the tsunami or risk of tsunami. The discussion emphasizes the need for evaluating further disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress) and to examine at-risk populations (e.g., children). It is suggested the importance of creating quantitative indexes based on variables such as extent of the loss, physical damage and quake intensity, to asses the individual impact of this sort of catastrophes.