Psychological consequences of a firework factory disaster in a local community

Objective This study assessed the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological consequences of an explosion disaster in a residential area in Kolding, Denmark, in November 2004. Method A community sample of 516 evacuated adults and a control group of 119 residents situated near the disaster area, but not affected by the explosion were assessed 3 months after the disaster by standardized instruments. Results Of the evacuated sample, 13% met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD in contrast to 1% in the control group; 35% of the exposed sample and 7% of the control group were identified as ‘probable cases’ by the GHQ-30 (both p’s < 0.0005). Conclusion The study provides evidence of the negative impact of a technological disaster on mental health and the need of preventive interventions.