Health Ministry Volunteer: Rural Villagers Recover Psychologically Faster After Disasters
Clinical psychologist Anna Aulia made a striking discovery whilst serving as a volunteer with the Ministry of Health's Health Reserve Team (Tim Cadangan Kesehatan, or TCK) in Aceh Tamiang: rural villagers are psychologically more resilient in the face of natural disasters than their urban counterparts.
During her deployment assisting survivors across several sub-districts, Anna observed that residents of remote rural areas tend to accept post-disaster conditions more quickly and focus on efforts to survive, whereas those living in town centres remain emotionally shaken for considerably longer.
"In the villages, they focus on how to survive again. If their house is gone, they say they will rebuild it and find work again," Anna said.
By contrast, residents of more developed areas experience deeper emotional disturbance. The loss of assets, businesses and employment means their psychological recovery takes significantly longer.
Anna identified children and the elderly as the groups most vulnerable to trauma during disasters. The TCK volunteer teams conduct initial screening to identify survivors showing signs of severe trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They provide psychosocial services to help survivors reconnect with their social environment, and deliver trauma healing interventions tailored to each individual's level of trauma.
Anna stressed that psychological recovery requires time and cannot happen instantly. Support from the surrounding community, she said, is the most critical factor in the healing process.
However, she noted that the magnitude of psychological impact is not determined solely by location, but also by the depth of loss experienced and the strength of social support available to each individual.
The deployment of TCK volunteers in Aceh is part of a government programme through the Ministry of Health to strengthen post-disaster health services, including mental health support for affected communities. A total of 119 TCK volunteers have been deployed to Aceh Tamiang to bolster healthcare provision in the wake of severe flooding in the region.
During her deployment assisting survivors across several sub-districts, Anna observed that residents of remote rural areas tend to accept post-disaster conditions more quickly and focus on efforts to survive, whereas those living in town centres remain emotionally shaken for considerably longer.
"In the villages, they focus on how to survive again. If their house is gone, they say they will rebuild it and find work again," Anna said.
By contrast, residents of more developed areas experience deeper emotional disturbance. The loss of assets, businesses and employment means their psychological recovery takes significantly longer.
Anna identified children and the elderly as the groups most vulnerable to trauma during disasters. The TCK volunteer teams conduct initial screening to identify survivors showing signs of severe trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They provide psychosocial services to help survivors reconnect with their social environment, and deliver trauma healing interventions tailored to each individual's level of trauma.
Anna stressed that psychological recovery requires time and cannot happen instantly. Support from the surrounding community, she said, is the most critical factor in the healing process.
However, she noted that the magnitude of psychological impact is not determined solely by location, but also by the depth of loss experienced and the strength of social support available to each individual.
The deployment of TCK volunteers in Aceh is part of a government programme through the Ministry of Health to strengthen post-disaster health services, including mental health support for affected communities. A total of 119 TCK volunteers have been deployed to Aceh Tamiang to bolster healthcare provision in the wake of severe flooding in the region.