Long term impacts of the two disasters on victims, rescue workers and children
Long term impacts of the two disasters on victims, rescue workers and children
The two disasters on the US have had long lasting impacts on the victims, rescue workers and most delicately, the children. The traumas from these disasters have affected the victims and rescue workers. The most affected group with trauma is the children. Thousands of victims are haunted by the demons of the September 11 terror attacks and the Katrina Hurricane. The victims and the rescue workers do not suffer from the mental injuries alone but also a number of physical disabilities and a number of health complications such as the risk of cancer, chest complications and long term post-traumatic stress disorder. Among the permanent health complications include heart disease and cancer. The general health status of the victims and the rescue workers has been poor due to the toxic elements emitted from the smoke and flames as is the case with the terror attacks. In the Hurricane disaster, most victims/ survivors have adverse psychiatric disorders.
Worth noting is that the mental health of direct victims is worse since the tragic events keep playing in their memories as long as they exist. Majority suffer the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) mentioned earlier due to their direct involvement in either the terror attacks or the Hurricane calamity. The rescue workers on the other hand, though not directly involved in the attacks, also experienced horrific sights and situations during the rescue missions. These included terrible and bloody sites of casualties and dead bodies.
These horrific sights have lingered in the memories of such workers and have consequently had a terrible effect of causing long term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as is the case with direct victims. (DE Salvo, 2007). A number of direct victims have also suffered permanent disabilities out of the events surrounding the disasters and the rescue missions. Children have had the worst (PTSD) due to their tenderness in age. Most of the affected children directly or indirectly were at a growing stage and the disasters have had a negative impact on their psychology. Children who lost their parents or had their parents handicapped in one way or the other had a rough time absorbing the harsh new realities. Consequently, some have broken down resorting to substance abuse and other social evils as consolations.
