Electronic Journal of Biology

Table 3.Distribution of respondent by marital status post erosion period.

In Tables 4-7 it is observes that all of the study respondents were Muslim by religion and married. By education among the respondents, more than sixty percent were found having no formal education followed by about one third with primary level of education. The people of char areas are very poor. They used to employ their children in income earnings rather than sending them to school. Provision for the students to receive financial support or any subsidized food during the seasonal crisis of food would resist seasonal dropout from the schools. Among the study population more than sixty percent were day labor followed by about onefourth was housewife. Whilst, it was reported by the respondents that before displacement more than eighty five percent were housewives and rest were day labor. It seems that before erosion most of the households were solvent but after displacement all the family members irrespective of sex have to work for livelihood. Though there is another reason that in rural area in Bangladesh females are restricted to do any sorts of occupation due to Purdah system [16]. One BRAC reported, women in the coastal areas are too conservative to work outside of their homestead for income earning. All sample members mentioned that they did not go too far of their homestead for economic activities, because it affected other responsibilities to the family, which they were bound to do [7]. The members take help from their husbands and children to sell their own product at market. They even sell these sitting at home. Sometimes the wholesaler comes to pick the product from members’ households. In a study on Natural disaster and depression: a prospective investigation of reactions to the 1993 Midwest floods found that increases in symptoms as a function of flood impact were slightly greater among respondents with the lowest incomes and among residents living in small rural communities, as opposed to on farms or in cities[12]. By expenditure it was found that after food cost, before displacement respondents gave the importance on Loan disbursement followed by child education, health and savings while after displacement it changed to chronologically health, saving and child education. It might be due to the permanent job resource insecurity and considering future job opportunity. Loan is primarily used in household economic activities. Many respondents reported that their husbands or any adult male member of the household used the loan on their own business, because they were the breadwinners of the family. They informed that women in this area were not involved in a large-scale income generating activities, which needs large cash investment. Consequently, the ownership and control over loan turn into the male members. Men even pay the weekly installment of the loan with a few exceptions. Members of female headed households use loans in their own activities; accordingly they pay the installments [17,18].

Table 4. Education composition.

Table 5. Distribution of respondents by occupation.

Table 6. Distributions of respondents by money earn.

Table 7. Distribution of respondents by monthly family expenditure.

The current study tried to explore in Tables 8 and 9, the health status of the participants. It was reported that about seventy percent of female respondents are suffering from Gynecological problem followed by one fourth are suffering from gastroenteritis and rest are suffering from PUD. Among the other diseases heart problems, diabetes, respiratory problems, abdominal pain and Rheumatoid Arthritis were also reported. A review of articles on the Relationship between Psychosocial Stress and Chronic Disease for Indigenous and African American People indicates that a range of poor health outcomes were associated with stress for Indigenous peoples and/or African Americans, including psychological distress, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and reduced self-esteem, hypertension, reduced immune function, diabetes, hyperglycemia, heart disease, cholesterol levels and artery thickness, pre-term birth, drug misuse, and cigarette smoking [19].

Table 8. Distribution of respondents by Physical problems.

Table 9. Distribution of respondents by Relation with family. 

The current study shows in Tables 10-17, eighty percent of the displaced people exhibited single/ multiple type of psychological problems. In this study almost eighty percent of the respondents were found suffering from anxiety. The depression table reveals the one-tenth of displaced people are suffering from mild depression. In a study, found that The Mexican immigrant farm workers who experience elevated levels of acculturative stress may be at risk for experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression. The findings highlight the importance of establishing prevention and treatment services for migrant farm workers that aim to increase levels of emotional support, self-esteem and coping skills[14]. In this study almost eighty percent of the respondents were found suffering from anxiety. Among them only onetenth are suffering from mild depression.In a study Natural disaster and depression found that the disaster led to true but small rises in depressive symptoms and diagnoses 60-90 days post-flood. The disasterpsychopathology effect was not moderated by predisaster depressive symptoms or diagnostically defined depression; rather, pre-disaster symptoms and diagnoses uniquely contributed to increases in post-disaster distress[20,21].

Table 10. Distribution of respondents by depression.

Table 11. Distribution of respondents by anxiety.

During the study the association between age & level of depression in Table 12, is found that mild depression is exist in every age group but more in age above 35 years(older age group) followed by up to 35 years(middle age group). Statistically it is not significant (p>0.05). In a study conducted among Mexican migrants in America, the participants were mostly between 18 and 25 years having the greatest risk of experiencing a depressive disorder nearly four and one-half times greater than their same-age Mexican peers who do not immigrate[23].

Table 12. Association between Age & level of depression.

Besides, in Table 13 it shows association between age and level of anxiety after the displacement is, middle age group respondents are more exposed to profound anxiety followed by moderate anxiety. About ninety percent are found in the middle aged group (above 35 years) and about eighty percent of young age (up to 34 yrs) is more exposed on profound anxiety. Statistically it was not significant (p>0.05).

Table 13. Association between Age & level of anxiety.

The study among the respondents after the displacement found that the association between education & level of Depression in Table 14 shows that the displaced people who are tertiary educated are less exposed on depression but illiterate are high on mild depression followed by moderate depression in primary educated respondents. Statistically it was not significant (p>0.05).

Table 14.Association between education & level of Depression.

In the current study there is also an association between the education and level of anxiety found in Table15, among the displaced people that is, about half of the illiterate respondents they are more exposed to profound anxiety. Statistically it was not significant(p>0.05).

Table  15.Association between education & level of Anxiety.

In another study by two researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, they surveyed approximately 80 patients at an outpatient clinic in Jackson, Mississippi before and after the hurricane Katrina. Most of the patients were suffering from depression or some kind of anxiety disorder, including PTSD [24].

Table  16.Association between family members & level of Depression.

Table  17.Association between family members & level of anxiety .

In Tables 18 and 19 it shows that, this study almost eighty percent of the displaced were found suffering from anxiety and one-tenth of displaced people are suffering from mild depression. Among them one third earn 50 to 100 taka per day. Our findings about income differed significantly from study of the Bhopal disaster in India. But Shah reported that wealthy people were at greater risk than poor people for depression because they had lost more than poor people and were less accustomed to asking for help. Losses related to this disaster, as they are in any disaster, were relative in terms of the financial effect on each household, but they were still significant losses regardless of the victim's income [25].Simply because victims happened to be poor did not mean that asking for or receiving help was any easier for them. In short, participants with lower incomes had fewer resources and options to rectify their living situations than did affluent respondents .It were revealed that respondents of bigger family were found mostly with depression than smaller family. Same way anxiety was also found more among the respondents of profound anxiety of bigger family. Finally, majority of the displaced person do not want to go back to the villages where they were before.

Table  18.Distribution of respondents by scale of Depression.

Table  19. Distribution of respondents by scale of Anxiety.

Conclusion

The current study indicates that how the environmental migrants are suffering from various type of health problems as well as psychological problems due to natural disaster.Most of the female respondents (70%) of are sustained with Gynecological problem followed by one fourth are suffering from gastroenteritis and rest are suffering from PUD.The main causes of Gynecological & gastroenteritis health problems were found lack of safe water and unhygienic life style. Majority of the displaced people (80%) exhibited psychological problem. To respond properly to a disaster like river erosion or a tornado or recurrent devastating flood, the disaster mental health team should be aware of the socio-economic status, local culture, tradition, language & local live hood patterns. Integration of the team with the network of various government & non-government organizations is essential to essential to provide mental services effectively. Three factors socio economic factors are mostly contributed in sustaining depression & anxiety which are lower education, middle age group & more family members.

Recommendation

1. Study guides us that Females were found suffering more from health problem than males. Cause they are not aware about the sanitation and clean and safe environment also health education. So some measure should be taken to mitigate these problems.

2. Study guides us that less educated & illiterate people are more suffering from depression & anxiety, because they could not easily cope up with the changing place and environment. So, formal or nonformal both type of education are needed.

3. Post-traumatic counseling is needed for affected families.

4.\Rehabilitation program that includes live and livelihood support such as house reconstruction, livestock shelter, child education, water; agrarian etc program is extremely helpful to reduce posttraumatic psychiatric problems as well as health problems also.

5. Young and aged group are suffering more due to disaster. So, program should be taken differently for different age groups.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interests in this study.

Acknowledgement

The authors express their sincere thanks to all the Participants of this study. No external funding was provided for this study

Data availability Statements

In accordance with the “DFG Guidelines on the Handling of Research Data”, we will make all data (digitalized electrophysiological recordings (IGOR wave metrics format); confocal images (a.o. TIFF format) available upon request. The data set will be archived for at least 10 years after publication.

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