Association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity and ego structure of the Nanai people.

Background: A man-made chemical disaster occurred in the Amur River, leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the Nanai people indigenous to the river's surrounding area. PTSD severity measured by the total scores of Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) (Total-I) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) (Total-C) were not always identical in terms of demographic and ethnocultural characters. It is possible that the results derived using the Total-I and Total-C may differ for persons with different backgrounds and/or individual characteristics.

Posttraumatic stress disorders in the Nanai after pollution of the Amur River: ethnocultural analysis.

Objectives: Chemical pollution of the Amur River has seriously damaged traditions and caused posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the Nanai, the indigenous people living along this river. This study was performed to clarify the ethnographic characteristics of PTSD in this unique population.

Methods: The study group consisted of 75 male and 112 female randomly selected volunteers.