Mental Health Among Children Older than 10 Years Exposed to the Haiti 2010 Earthquake: a Critical Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There is evidence that the exposure to a major natural disaster such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti may have devastating short- and long-term effects on children's mental health and overall development. This review summarizes what has been reported in the past 3 years (2017-2020) regarding emotional, psychological, and behavioral effects of exposure to this particular earthquake on children 10 years and older. RECENT FINDINGS: Twenty-six articles were screened, of which twenty-one were selected for final analysis. The main themes addressed in the literature over the 3 years concerned prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, determinants of resilience factors, prevalence of sexual violence as well as prenatal exposure, and subsequent autism behaviors/symptoms. The majority of the findings analyzed in this review on mental health in young Haitian survivors of the 2010 earthquake came from cross-sectional studies conducted in West region of Haiti, spefically Port-au-Prince. There was a paucity of longitudinal and translational data available. The results of this critical review can be used to inform disaster preparedness programs with the aim of protecting children's development and mental health, which are much needed on this disaster-prone island.

Graduate Nurse Education in Haiti: Lessons Taught and Learned.

The plight of the people of Haiti that came to the world's attention following the devastating earthquake there in 2010 has for the most part receded into the background amid other issues despite their continuing economic and health problems. The purpose of this article is to explore the experiences of the first graduate nurse students in Haiti. The program is funded and operated by a nonprofit, nongovernment nursing organization, Promoting Health in Haiti, based in New York City. A narrative was generated by doing focus groups and interviews with 10 of the students in the program. Three themes found in the narrative are pressing on amid uncertainty and unanswered questions, living and learning amid competing responsibilities, and enjoying support while learning new skills that can make a difference. The implications for graduate nurse education in low-resource countries are discussed.