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The Association Between Disaster Vulnerability and Post-disaster Psychosocial Service Delivery Across Europe

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Abstract

This study confirms that the developmental stage of post-disaster psychosocial support planning and delivery systems in Europe is associated with countries’ level of disaster vulnerability. Lower vulnerability is accompanied by more evolved planning and delivery systems. Countries in north, west and central regions have more developed planning and delivery systems and lower vulnerability levels than those in the south, southeast and east. The highest proportion of variance in vulnerability is located at the regional level, most of the variance in planning and delivery systems is at the individual level. Possible implications and chances for the optimization of psychosocial services are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Impact - National Knowledge and Advice Centre for Psychosocial Care Concerning Critical Incidents, Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group, Nienoord 5, 1112 XE, Diemen, The Netherlands

    Michel L. A. Dückers

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Anke B. Witteveen & Miranda Olff

  3. Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK

    Jonathan I. Bisson

  4. Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group, Diemen, The Netherlands

    Miranda Olff

Authors
  1. Michel L. A. Dückers
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  2. Anke B. Witteveen
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  3. Jonathan I. Bisson
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  4. Miranda Olff
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Correspondence to Michel L. A. Dückers.

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Dückers, M.L.A., Witteveen, A.B., Bisson, J.I. et al. The Association Between Disaster Vulnerability and Post-disaster Psychosocial Service Delivery Across Europe. Adm Policy Ment Health 44, 470–479 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-015-0671-8

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