Association between disaster experience and quality of life: the mediating role of disaster risk perception

Disasters may impair people’s quality of life (QoL) indirectly through disaster risk perception. We intended to address this point by analyzing the correlation between disaster experience and QoL with a test of the mediating effects of risk perception at the example of earthquake.

Earthquake experience had negative impact on QoL measured by self-reported happiness, general health status, and life satisfaction. People who had earthquake experience perceived higher earthquake risk compared to those who had never experienced an earthquake. Risk perception measured by perceived likelihood of future earthquake as a mediating factor for the impact of earthquake experience on QoL from the dimensions of both self-reported happiness and life satisfaction was confirmed.

Findings are consistent with existing reports about the association between disaster experience and QoL. Research using multi-dimensional measures of disaster risk perception and QoL is needed to inform post-disaster recovery programs.