Assessment of mental suffering in a population affected by the Madeira River flood in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the frequency of common mental disorders (CMD) in the population affected by the Madeira River flood, in Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon. Method: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out in two stages, the first just after the flood and another 4 years later. In its first stage, 392 people were investigated, and in the second stage, 58 people of both sexes and ages ranging from 10 years (child) to 86 years (elderly). For data collection, the Self-Report-Questionnaire (SRQ – 20) was used. Results: the population exposed and affected by the flood had 64.1% of CMD, in the following order of determination: other symptoms of SRQ-20 (77.6%), decreased energy (76.3%), somatic symptom (67.8%), depressed mood (66.2%) and depressive thoughts (32.5%). After 4 years, in a reassessment, the population affected by the flood still presented 28.2% of CMD, in the following order of determination: other symptoms of SRQ-20 (45.9%), somatic symptom (33.6%), depressed mood (29.9%), decreased energy (17.8%) and depressive thoughts (13.8%), considered as important indicators of evidence of mental suffering. Conclusions: From the data collected in this study, it can be indicated that the group of people affected by the flood, regardless of gender or age group, has mental suffering that lasts for at least 4 years of the victim's life.