Survivors in their third decade after the North Sea oil rig disaster of 1980
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background and objective: In March 2010, a 30 years’ memorial assembly related to one of Norway’s worst disasters ever was held. The oil rig named after the Norwegian author, Alexander L. Kielland, capsized in the North Sea on the 27th March, 1980. Of the 212 men onboard, 89 survived. This doctoral thesis is a part of a larger longitudinal project which has been following-up the Norwegian survivors across four waves of data collections, in 1980, 1981, 1985 and 2007. A matched reference group of oil-rig workers from the same field, Ekofisk, was included in 1985. The objective of the present thesis was to study mental health outcomes after almost three decades of this civilian disaster.\n\nMethods: Of the 75 Norwegian survivors in 1980, data sets from 70 were stored for the longitudinal analyses. In 2007, 57 survivors were still alive and traceable. Of these, 51 participated. Of the 92 men in the comparison group included in 1985, 62 took part in 2007. The study draws on self-reports collected at all four waves. Longitudinal measures covered posttraumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale; IES-15), general manifestations of stress (Posttraumatic Stress Scale; PTSS-10) as well as the detection of general mental health problems (General Health Questionnaire; GHQ-20). Included in the data collection of 2007 were a version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), a personality inventory (NEO Five Factor Inventory; NEO-FFI), and a measure of positive psychological changes (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory; PTGI). Demographic information was also included.\n\nResults: Five years after the North Sea oil rig disaster, the survivors clearly reported more suffering than the comparison group. In 2007, however, the difference had faded. A tendency to report more stress symptoms was still found for the survivors. Moreover, high stress scores in the very first days post disaster and a slow recovery during the initial weeks were both associated with long-term suffering.\n\nWhen combining the initial recovery and the long-term course of mental health, four latent trajectories were identified: the resilient (61%), recovering (14%), chronic (11%), and relapsing (13%). The two thirds classified as resilient, showed a moderate starting point of stress. Subsequently, they had a rapid decline across the first eight weeks. Their long-term scores on mental health problems remained low. The trajectories of those in the recovery, chronic or relapse groups had initially high, stable stress scores, while their long-term course of mental health problems differed. A personality style with high scores on neuroticism was associated with the chronic and the relapsing trajectories.\n\nStrong positive associations were found between reported posttraumatic growth and concurrent levels of posttraumatic stress 27 years post disaster. Weaker or no associations between growth and posttraumatic stress of the past were found. Decades after the disaster, general mental health problems coexisted with the higher levels of reported posttraumatic growth, but the associations were mediated by the concurrent posttraumatic symptoms.\n\nConclusions: Roughly two thirds of the survivors after the North-Sea oil rig disaster bounced back into adequate good mental health within the first two months. Another 14 % reported initial suffering, but recovered more slowly. Hence, in a long-term perspective three out of four remained mentally healthy. A minor part (24%) demonstrated chronic or relapsing courses of mental health problems. A high load of initial stress manifestations which did not decline during the first weeks, was associated with various patterns of suffering in the following three decades. Self-reports about posttraumatic growth after almost three decades did not indicate less mental suffering. Early screening may identify those who are at risk of long-term post-traumatic suffering.
Author: Katrine Høyer Holgersen
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W15253040