Factors influencing psychological distress during a disease epidemic: data from Australia's first outbreak of equine influenza
- PMID: 18831770
- PMCID: PMC2571100
- DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-8-347
Factors influencing psychological distress during a disease epidemic: data from Australia's first outbreak of equine influenza
Abstract
Background: In 2007 Australia experienced its first outbreak of highly infectious equine influenza. Government disease control measures were put in place to control, contain, and eradicate the disease; these measures included movement restrictions and quarantining of properties. This study was conducted to assess the psycho-social impacts of this disease, and this paper reports the prevalence of, and factors influencing, psychological distress during this outbreak.
Methods: Data were collected using an online survey, with a link directed to the affected population via a number of industry groups. Psychological distress, as determined by the Kessler 10 Psychological Distress Scale, was the main outcome measure.
Results: In total, 2760 people participated in this study. Extremely high levels of non-specific psychological distress were reported by respondents in this study, with 34% reporting high psychological distress (K10 > 22), compared to levels of around 12% in the Australian general population. Analysis, using backward stepwise binary logistic regression analysis, revealed that those living in high risk infection (red) zones (OR = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.57-2.55; p < 0.001) and disease buffer (amber) zones (OR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.36-2.46; p < 0.001) were at much greater risk of high psychological distress than those living in uninfected (white zones). Although prevalence of high psychological distress was greater in infected EI zones and States, elevated levels of psychological distress were experienced in horse-owners nationally. Statistical analysis indicated that certain groups were more vulnerable to high psychological distress; specifically younger people, and those with lower levels of formal educational qualifications. Respondents whose principal source of income was from horse-related industry were more than twice as likely to have high psychological distress than those whose primary source of income was not linked to horse-related industry (OR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.82-2.73; p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Although, methodologically, this study had good internal validity, it has limited generalisability because it was not possible to identify, bound, or sample the target population accurately. However, this study is the first to collect psychological distress data from an affected population during such a disease outbreak and has potential to inform those involved in assessing the potential psychological impacts of human infectious diseases, such as pandemic influenza.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Factors associated with high psychological distress in horse industry participants during the 2007 Australian equine influenza outbreak and evidence of recovery after 1 year.Aust Vet J. 2011 Jul;89 Suppl 1:158-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2011.00772.x. Aust Vet J. 2011. PMID: 21711318
-
Horse owners' biosecurity practices following the first equine influenza outbreak in Australia.Prev Vet Med. 2011 Dec 15;102(4):304-14. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2011.08.002. Epub 2011 Sep 4. Prev Vet Med. 2011. PMID: 21893356
-
Overview of the 2007 Australian outbreak of equine influenza.Aust Vet J. 2011 Jul;89 Suppl 1:3-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2011.00721.x. Aust Vet J. 2011. PMID: 21711267
-
Psychosocial impacts of quarantine during disease outbreaks and interventions that may help to relieve strain.N Z Med J. 2009 Jun 5;122(1296):47-52. N Z Med J. 2009. PMID: 19652680 Review.
-
Descriptive overview of the 2011 epidemic of arboviral disease in horses in Australia.Aust Vet J. 2013 Jan-Feb;91(1-2):5-13. doi: 10.1111/avj.12018. Epub 2012 Dec 19. Aust Vet J. 2013. PMID: 23356366 Review.
Cited by
-
The relationship between interoceptive emotional awareness, neuroticism, and depression, anxiety, and stress.PLoS One. 2024 Apr 16;19(4):e0299835. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299835. eCollection 2024. PLoS One. 2024. PMID: 38626106 Free PMC article.
-
COVID-19-Related Stress and Resilience Resources: A Comparison Between Adoptive and non-Adoptive Mothers.Fam J Alex Va. 2023 Jul;31(3):454-463. doi: 10.1177/10664807221124251. Epub 2022 Sep 9. Fam J Alex Va. 2023. PMID: 38603286 Free PMC article.
-
Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on self-reported levels of depression during the pandemic relative to pre-pandemic among Canadian adults.Arch Public Health. 2024 Mar 6;82(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s13690-024-01253-0. Arch Public Health. 2024. PMID: 38449047 Free PMC article.
-
Corona virus anxiety and Chinese students' cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement, and academic resilience: correlations and perceptions.BMC Psychol. 2024 Feb 29;12(1):107. doi: 10.1186/s40359-024-01548-5. BMC Psychol. 2024. PMID: 38424628 Free PMC article.
-
The mental burden of stay-at-home order extensions during COVID-19.Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 21;14(1):4293. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-54059-z. Sci Rep. 2024. PMID: 38383527 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Online Equine Influenza Fact Sheet Queensland Government Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. 2007. http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/xchg/dpi/hs.xsl/27_6914_ENA_HTML.htm
-
- NSW DPI website http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horse/influenza
-
- Equine Influenza Outbreak Queensland Government Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. 2007. http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/xchg/dpi/hs.xsl/27_7416_ENA_HTML.htm
-
- Australian Horse Industry Council Equine Influenza Impact Study Results. 2007. http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/_upload/files/EI%20Impact%20Report.pdf
-
- Australian Horse Industry Council Follow-up Equine Influenza Impact Study. 2008. http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/_upload/files/Follow%20Up%20EI%20Impact%2...
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Research Materials