Page 134 - GHES-3-2

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
The impact of PTSD on memory and cognition

highlighting the impact of PTSD on cognitive abilities and (66.6%) both contained earthquake survivors, and both
the challenges individuals face in maintaining associations groups were identical. However, two groups of respondents
and interactions with people despite their traumatic were utilized rather than one to account for any variations
experiences. in the results.
The extant research endeavors have not attempted to All participants belonged to the same nationality
control for possible links between PTSD and memory in (Pakistani) and hailed from low socioeconomic
adolescent earthquake victims in Pakistan. A gap exists environments with limited income. Elimination criteria
in the literature because no published predominance were restricted to mental disabilities or any form of
study concerning PTSD and memory in adolescents has memory loss after the earthquake. Initially, each group was
been published after the Pakistan earthquake. Therefore, supposed to include 25 adolescents. However, the study
this project planned to determine the presence of PTSD required participants to be able to read and write and 15
in relation to memory in child victims of the Pakistan participants were ultimately recruited per group because
earthquake of October 08, 2005. To this end, it focused it was impossible to enlist 25 literate adolescents for both
on adolescents attending schools in the areas of Pakistan cohorts. In addition, the study required participants to be
affected by the repercussions of the earthquake. This study present for a week, and the requisite number of participants
also proposed to test the impact, strengths, and weaknesses were unavailable for that duration. Moreover, the male–
of the Children and War Foundation’s “Writing for female participant ratio was originally envisaged as equal.
Recovery” manual to alleviate PTSD in adolescents. However, males were much more willing to participate
Hypothesis: It was posited that earthquake victims in the study and females seemed more hesitant due to
(participant groups B and C) would exhibit higher levels the conservative nature and culture of the inhabitants of
of PTSD and reduced memory performance compared Pakistan. Therefore, the ultimate participant distribution
to non-victims (group A). The Writing for Recovery was 66.6% male and 33.3% female.
intervention was expected to reduce PTSD symptoms and 2.2. Materials
improve memory in the affected groups.
Psychologists over the centuries have employed many
2. Methods different memory tests. The applications range from
2.1. Participants model tests of instant and deferred learning, recollection,
and identification to complex hypotheses through
All participants of the study were earthquake victims investigational stimuli to appraise data development
recruited through the Earthquake Reconstruction and abilities.
Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), whose operations
entail preparing, managing, observing, and controlling Standard tests center on universal learning and memory
rebuilding and treatment activities in earthquake-effected abilities, and investigational assessments have probed
areas in Pakistan. the functions of stress-associated cues and their effects
on memory. Studies conducted using standard tests of
Before the study was initiated, 47 earthquake victims verbal or visual memory have indicated that patients who
aged between five and 76 years were casually interviewed. suffer from PTSD present memory conditions ranging
This task was undertaken to establish a general idea from undamaged to placidly damaged memory functions.
about the incidence of PTSD in the earthquake survivor However, more complex memory tests involving stimuli
environment. The interviewed individuals were included focusing on specific personal experiences have reported
in the ERRA efforts. Subsequently, 25 other individuals modifications in cognitive data processing. The present
also aged between 5 and 76 years were interviewed in the study required a memory test that combined everyday
capital city of Pakistan. These respondents formed the verbal and visual memory with certain customizable
control group and were approached and interviewed at stimuli attending to the Pakistan earthquake. Therefore,
random. the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test was used for
Three groups of participants were formed during the this study. This assessment of daily memory functions
study. Each group comprised 15 adolescents (ten boys and is internationally recognized, extremely insightful, and
five girls) aged between 13 and 15 years. Group A (33.3 %) short. It comprises 12 components (name recognition,
encompassed adolescents who were not earthquake image recognition, etc.) that evaluate several of the daily
victims and was designated the reference group that memory problems acknowledged in patients with memory
would initially reveal whether the memory functions of difficulties. Most importantly, the test can be used to
earthquake victims were at all affected. Groups B and C monitor change (Wilson, 2006). Thus, the Rivermead

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 126 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.5121