Key Findings Statistics Respondent Profile

Summary Key Findings Statistics Respondent Profile:

The sample population were 81% beneficiaries of the C.A.S.E. (base-isolated antiseismic) transitional housing and 19% resi- Resilience and quality of life dent in the M.A.P. prefabs (not base-isolated, Table1). among the displaced population of L’Aquila rehoused in The sample of interviewees comprised 281 people the C.A.S.E. and M.A.P. tran- Male: 46%; Female: 54% sitional housing projects. Mean age: 43 years (SD 16.2) range 18-86 years Some 37% were in the age-group 18-34 yrs, 36% were 35-54 years old, and 27% were 55 years and over. The mean age of males was 44 years (SD 17.4) The mean age of females was 43 yrs (SD 15.2)

General Findings: The general information sought included questions on level of educational attainment and present occupation: 21% had a middle school diploma, 50% a high school diploma, 9% a first degree and 20% a post-graduate degree. Some 53% of respondents were regularly employed, 24% were unemployed or pensioners, 13% were students and 10% were worker-

students. Table 1 Location of residence of interviewees.

C.A.S.E. PROJECT M.A.P. Cese di Preturo Cansatessa L’Aquila Coppito3 S. Rufina Pagliare di Sassa Camarda December 2010 Paganica1/sud Monticchio Paganica2 Poggio Santa Maria S.Elia 1 Tempera S.Elia 2 Pianola Sassa nsi San Gregorio Coppito 2 Bazzano Roio Poggio Assergi

1 Summary Key Findings: DTS (Davidson Trauma Scale)

Statistics The Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) gave a total score of 41.44, which is

above the threshold for post-traumatic stress disorder (Table 2). Resilience and quality of life among the displaced population of L’Aquila Table 2 DTS Analysis rehoused in the C.A.S.E. and M.A.P. transitional

housing projects. DTS MEAN STD. DEV. n=271 Frequency 21.02 13.72 Seriousness 20.42 14.66

Intrusion 16.61 11.12

Avoidance 13.14 11.23

Hypervigilance 14.02 10.75

DTS TOTAL 41.44 27.25

Using the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) we estimate that 43% of the respondents (CI: 36.9%-48.7%) are subject to stress (mean score>40) Stress is more prevalent in women (66%) than in men (p=0.002). (Table

3). L’Aquila

December 2010 Table 3 Presence or absence of stress in the sample population

STRESS FREQ. % NO (DTS ≤40) 155 57 YES (DTS >40) 116 43 TOTAL 271 100

2 Summary Key Findings: DTS (Davidson Trauma Scale) Statistics

On average, subjects with PTSD do not have a different mean age to

those without it. The presence of stress does not correlate with the type Resilience and quality of of transitional housing assigned to the subject, or to level of educational life among the displaced attainment or type of occupation. population of L’Aquila rehoused in the C.A.S.E. and M.A.P. transitional Males seem less likely to develop PTSD than do women (OR=0.45; housing projects. CI:0.29-0.71).

Table 4 Characteristics of the sample with presence or absence of

PTSD.

without with PTSD PTSD std test stati- mean/% dev mean/% std stic p age 43.30 15,5 42,80 17,1 F=0,04 0,833 sex men 34.50 53.90 chi=10,05 0.002 women 65.60 46.20 Housing type CA.S.E. 81.00 80.70 M.A.P. 19.00 19.40 chi=0,006 0.936 Education low 20.40 21.50 chi=0,0488 0.825 high 79.70 78.50 Occupation yes 71.30 79.30 chi=2,2908 0.130 no 28.70 20.70

L’Aquila Intrusion and avoidance are the two characteristics of PTS most rela- ted to the traumatic event, and they are significantly more important in December 2010 subjects with PTSD. As expected, the same is true for hypervigilance.

3 Summary Key Findings: COPING MECHANISMS

Statistics Faced with a stressful event, women seek comfort in religious faith

more often than do men, and they show more need to express their Resilience and quality of emotions (Figure 1). life among the displaced population of L’Aquila rehoused in the C.A.S.E. Fig. 1 Copeing Mechanisms dimensions and types and M.A.P. transitional housing projects. 5 p=0.020 p=0.0192 F=2.56 F=2.58 4.8

4.6 Males (n=127)

4.4 Females (n=148)

4.2

3.8 Expression of emotions Religion

Among the youngest respondents the tendency is to make fun of or joke aboutstessful situations and to make use of alcohol or drugs. Older people, on the other hand, tend to react in disadaptive ways, for example by manifesting detached froms of behaviour (Figure 2).

L’Aquila

December 2010 Fig. 2 Mean score for Coping Mechanisms by Agegroup

5 p=0.0 4.5 09 p=0.0 F= 09 4 2.92 F= p=0.01 3.5 2.92 0 3 F=2.86 2.5 2 18‐34 (n=90) 1.5 35‐54 (n=90) 1 0.5 >=55 (n=68) 0 Humour Dissociation Substance abuse

4 Summary Key Findings: PGWBI (Psycological Ge- neral Well-Being Index) Statistics

The use of PGWBI in the questionnaire shows that the state of he- Resilience and quality of life among the displaced alth of women is worse than that of men, both in general and with population of L’Aquila specific respect to the factors studied in the questionnaire (Table 5, rehoused in the C.A.S.E. Figure3). and M.A.P. transitional housing projects. Table 5 Mean value of general index of health, by sex.

SEX n mean STD.DEV. Test statistic p Male 128 79.24 16.89 F=15.54 0.0001 Female 148 70.55 19.35

Fig. 3 Mean valies of dimensions of PGWBI for males and females

20 p=0.036 p=0.031 p=0.036 F=1.81 F=1.68 15 F=1.71

0 Anxiety Depression Positiveness Self Control Health Vitality and Well Being males (n=128) females (n=148)

L’Aquila

December 2010 The state of health measured with the index of general health is significantly worse among old people (F=4.34; p=0.0140): old people appear to be more depressed than young people (F=6.52;p=0.0017), and they have less self control (F=3.06; p=0.0487).

5 Summary Key Findings: Resiliency

Statistics The scale of Dispositional Resiliency enabled us to construct a general picture of the capacity of interviewees to react to a traumatic e- Resilience and quality of vent. life among the displaced population of L’Aquila Faced with the propositions: “Sometimes life seems to be without rehoused in the C.A.S.E. meaning” and “Sometimes I feel helpless,” women are more in agre- and M.A.P. transitional ement than men (Figures 4 and 5). Despite all, most of the intervie- housing projects. wees demonstrated a strong impetus to reclaim their lives and over- come the difficulties posed by the earthquake, which they mostly re- garded as representing a force for personal development . These po- sitive attitudes were prevalent in both men and women.

35 Fig. 4 “Sometimes life seems to be meaningless.” 30 25 20

15 10 males 5 % females 0

Fig. 5 "I often feel helpless." L’Aquila 35 30 25 December 2010 20 15 Males %10 5 0 Females