Still in there—citizens’ well-being and PTSD after Seoul Halloween crowd crush in Korea: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract The October 29, 2022, Seoul Halloween Crowd Crush (SHCC) caused the loss of 159 lives, making it the deadliest global mass-gathering disaster between 2018 and 2022. Despite the fact that years have passed since the incident, there remains a significant gap in research addressing the mental health of citizens to evaluate their recovery progress. Therefore, in this study, a survey was conducted to assess citizens’ anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and well-being after the SHCC. The data were analyzed using t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlations, a Kruskal–Wallis test, and post hoc tests. The citizens' well-being differed significantly by victimization status, with direct victims showing languishing well-being (p = .036). PTSD severity level was higher in victims and direct witnesses (p < .001). Victims and direct witnesses exhibited worse outcomes in subjective, social, and psychological well-being as well as in PTSD (p < .001). Well-being exhibited a significant negative correlation with PTSD (r = − .247, p < .001). The results of the analysis suggest the SHCC’s psychological impact has endured not only for victims and direct witnesses but also for media-exposed citizens. Offering continuous psychological support and fostering positive self-perceptions and social interactions are crucial for their recovery and well-being enhancement.

Keywords

• Well-being
• PTSD
• Psychological trauma
• Avoidance
• Media exposure
• Disaster experience