Commentary: The Impact of Disasters and Their Aftermath on Mental Health

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In recent years, there has been an increased concern about wide-scaledisasters, both natural and man-made, and their impact on the mentalThe Impact of Disasters andTheir Aftermath on Mental Healthhealth of the population at large. In addition to the trauma of the disasteritself, the aftermath of the disaster, as the affected population tries to rebuildboth literally and figuratively, can affect mental health as well. Thisdiscussion is focused on Hurricane Katrina, which hit the U.S. GulfCoast in August 2005, but the concerns and challenges faced by healthcare personnel on the public and personal levels are similar to those inany wide-scale disaster or terrorist event that might affect our nation.