As a result of the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, lives have been lost and thousands have been displaced. Mental health professionals expect that emotional and psychological consequences will persist long after the wildfires have been extinguished.
In this interview published in the Harvard Gazette, Karestan Koenen, PhD, a psychologist and expert in psychological trauma at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, discusses what to expect in the days and weeks ahead. Based on her research focusing on the 2018 Paradise fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise, California, killed 85, and became the deadliest and costliest fire in state history, Koenen talks about what to expect in the days and weeks ahead.
“There’s a lot of research that shows that one of the things that predicts poor mental health outcomes after disasters is the disruptions in things like employment, housing.” In the immediate aftermath, Koenen notes that, “One of the best ways to prevent long-term mental health consequences is to address people’s basic needs for a safe place to live, food and work.” advised Koenen.
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Psychiatric epidemiologist discusses mental health toll from displacement and loss, the path forward for victims (Harvard Gazette)
