Policymakers' perspectives on responding to the elderly's mental health needs in post-disaster situations

BACKGROUND: Mental health issues following the occurrence of disaster remain neglected area especially for older people group. The purpose of this study was to explore stakeholders' perspectives on post-disaster management related to the elderly's mental health needs.

DESIGN AND METHODS: This qualitative case study was conducted between June and October 2020. The investigators conducted in-depth interviews with policymakers who were in charge of disaster management at national, provincial, and regional levels. The policymakers were selected through purposive sampling. A policy analysis was conducted by the investigators to answer the research question.

RESULTS: The results were presented based on actor, content, context, and process. The actors engage in intersectoral collaboration between disaster agencies, health agencies, and social agencies. The content is largely comprehensive; however, the disaster management policy should not neglect to address mental health conditions after a disaster event. The context is the vulnerability and risk of the elderly in terms of experiencing physical and mental issues after a disaster, which should be considered by policymakers in Indonesia. The process is the development of disaster management policies, which are influenced by cultural, economic, political, and international factors.

CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that stakeholders need to pay attention to the mental health issue of elderly in national and regional policy, particularly during post-disaster situations. In addition, posttraumatic stress in post-disaster situations should be highlighted in order to formulate a better aged care policy.