The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychiatric comorbidity rates, severity of psychological disorders, and factors predicting cormorbidities in disaster victims with PTSD.

Three hundred and fifty-three disaster victims who scored over the threshold to be classified as potentially meeting criteria for PTSD were selected data from Long-term Investigation of Disaster Victims and Development of Life-Friendly Relief Policy Technology in South Korea.

First, total comorbidity rate of depression or anxiety disorder only and both depression and anxiety disorder in individuals with PTSD was found in 37.4%. Second, the severity of psychological disorders increased with the number of comorbid disorders. Third, factors predicting comorbidities were sex (women), marital status (unmarried), economic distress (monthly income reduction and recipient of basic living) and low resilience.

The findings may help to identify vulnerable individuals that may develop other psychological disorders in individuals with PTSD and maximize treatment effects.

This study investigated whether pre- and peri-disaster experiences influence on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and whether post-disaster stress by life changes have impact on PTSD after controlling pre- and peri-disaster factors.

Data came from a sample of 1,182 respondents who experienced natural disasters (flood and typhoon) in South Korea from 2012 to 2015. The SPSS Win 22.0 program was used for descriptive analysis, t-test, Chi-square test, Pearson’s correlation and logistic regression analysis.

The results indicated that 24.3% of the disaster victims were in PTSD risk group. Compared with non-PTSD, PTSD risk group showed lower interpersonal trust and satisfaction, higher depression and anxiety, and lower subjective well-being. The results of hierarchical logistc regression revealed that all pre-, peri-, and post-disaster factors increased the probability of developing PTSD, except for relocation of residence. Moreover, a primary post-disaster predictor of PTSD was economic distress after controlling for pre- and peri-disaster.

This study tested relative contributions of post-disaster factors on PTSD.