January 12, 2010: HAITI EARTHQUAKE

January 12, 2010 a 7.0 earthquake took place centered in the capital city of Haiti, Port-au-Prince.
Initially, aid for Haitians was compromised by an already weak infrastructure and limited resources which damage from the earthquake exacerbated.
It was difficult for outside emergency responders to provide assistance due to airport damage and the internal resources, like hospitals, were unable to meet overwhelming need for services as supplies dwindled.
According to the Pan American Health Organization, Haiti struggled with poverty and serious health crisis as well as along with some of the highest rates of infant and maternal mortality, chronic malnutrition, and HIV.
World Heath Organization, established Haiti as a country in need of international assistance prior to the earthquake in 2010

Life-Threatening Toll: Death and Injury

Over 200,000 people were killed and another 300,000 were injured
Cholera outbreak following the earthquake that impacted 720,000 Haitians and killed almost 9,000 in a four year period following the quake
Reports of rape in the aftermath of the earthquake is another trauma of the disaster where females have been made more vulnerable by “tent cities, ”.
Loss of protective husbands and brothers, as well as demands for sex in exchange for food coupons and shelter in the camps

5 years later: remembering the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Published on Jan 12, 2015 Photo: Carol Guzy/The Washington Post/Getty Images.

Research conducted on adults post natural disaster found symptoms consistent with PTSD including, sleep disturbances, exacerbated mental health symptoms, decrease in social support, and an increase in alcohol use.
Research conducted on 1,315 survivors 2-4 months after the earthquake in Haiti reported PTSD present in 24.6% of survivors and MDD with impairment in 28.3%

Long term psychological impact

Reserach found a prevalence rates of 36.93% for PTSD and 40.8% for depression in

child 2.5 years after the earthquake”