The Beirut Explosion Psychological Impact Study: An Online Cross-Sectional Population Survey

Abstract

The explosion of 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate on August 4, 2020, in the port of Beirut resulted in human tragedy and extensive property damage. As 1 of the largest man-made disasters to affect a population in peacetime, the explosion attracted global attention and support. The disaster happened in a complex socioeconomic context, even by the standards of Lebanon, a country that has witnessed challenging conditions throughout its modern history. Disasters of this scale, although fortunately rare, have major psychological consequences on affected communities that may extend into the distant future. An online survey was conducted 2 months following the explosion to assess rates and correlates of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among population exposed to the August 4 explosion. Mental health was assessed using Arabic-validated scales, including the Patient Health Questionnaire and PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Of the 2,078 participants that completed the survey, 37% met criteria for PTSD, and 80% were screened as having any depression, one fourth of whom (26.8%, n = 542) were screened as moderately-to-severely/ severely depressed at the time of the study. Most affected were those closest to the site of the explosion, especially those with lower socioeconomic status and women. Help-seeking following the explosion, in particular from mental health professionals, was limited. Documenting the mental health impact of the Beirut explosion is integral to advocating for an emergency mental health response that would better respond to similar disasters and ensure appropriate mental health care for those identified as most affect and at-risk of depression and PTSD © 2022 American Psychological Association