Effects of Loma Prieta Earthquake on Navy Members and Families.
Abstract
Navy members and spouses who were present in the San Francisco Bay Area when the October 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake occurred were surveyed to examine utilization and effectiveness of support services available to them after the earthquake; and to assess the extent of psychological, behavioral and physical symptoms experienced following the disaster. Disaster-related effects on performance and morale of area commands were investigated. Survey data were supplemented by interviews with selected command leaders and service providers. Spouse respondents reported more symptoms, more needs, and more services used than military respondents. The principal need expressed by both military members and spouses was someone to talk to. Thirty-nine percent of military respondents and 61 percent of spouse respondents reported experiencing stress-related psychological or physical symptoms. Difficulty sleeping and general anxiety were common symptoms. Spouses of deployed military members experienced more stress- related symptoms than other groups. Coping style was shown to have a significant effect on the number of symptoms reported and how long such symptoms lasted. Individuals who relied on informal sources of support suffered more stress- related symptoms than those who coped in other ways. The majority of military respondents did not feel that their own performance or morale was affected by the earthquake and command leaders generally concurred.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA240576
Entities
People
- Elyse W. Kerce
- Gerry Wilcove