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Preliminary Report on Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD Following Severe Flooding in Brazil: A Longitudinal Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 July 2025

Santiago Madeira Diefenthaeler Open the ORCID record for Santiago Madeira Diefenthaeler [Opens in a new window] ,
Alice Cacilhas  and
Simone Hauck Open the ORCID record for Simone Hauck [Opens in a new window]
Santiago Madeira Diefenthaeler
Affiliation:
https://ror.org/041yk2d64 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre, Brazil
Alice Cacilhas
Affiliation:
Fundação Universitária Mário Martins (FUMM), Porto Alegre, Brazil
Simone Hauck*
Affiliation:
https://ror.org/041yk2d64 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre, Brazil https://ror.org/010we4y38 Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) , Porto Alegre, Brazil
*
Corresponding author: Simone Hauck; Email: shauck@hcpa.edu.br
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Abstract

Objectives

This preliminary longitudinal web-based study examines the progression of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among individuals affected by severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The aim is to provide data that can inform early interventions and future research on mental health following disasters.

Methods

Sixty-four participants were assessed during the flood (T1) and 1 month later (T2). Evaluations included sociodemographic data, trauma exposure, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, acute stress disorder (ASD), and PTSD.

Results

Depression and anxiety symptoms remained relatively stable between T1 and T2, while posttraumatic symptoms increased significantly, particularly re-experiencing and avoidance. This progression suggests a shift from initial hyperarousal to more entrenched symptoms of reliving trauma and avoidance, indicating that the long-term effects of trauma may be more closely tied to PTSD. Additionally, trauma exposure and specific ASD symptoms predicted PTSD severity at T2.

Conclusions

The results suggest a time-dependent progression of PTSD symptoms, with initial hyperarousal giving way to re-experiencing and avoidance, which are central to PTSD. Early psychoeducational interventions targeting re-experiencing symptoms and avoidance may help reduce PTSD severity. Further research in larger, more diverse samples is needed to assess generalizability.

Keywords

floodPTSDtrauma and stressor related disordersmental healthlongitudinal study

Information

Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 19 , 2025 , e189
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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