Abstract

SUTTER, Christina  and  KING, Ananda Melo. Living on the debris: quality of life in haiti after earthquake. Salud & Sociedad [online]. 2012, vol.3, n.3, pp. 235-249. ISSN 0718-7475.

This article analyzes the quality of life in Haiti after the earthquake, based on the domains of the World Health Organization Quality Of Life assessment instrument (WHOQOL 100). In order to organize the data collected on-site before and after the disaster, the domains were categorized according to the groups denominated in the WHOQOL: health and medical care, education and access to information, income and occupation, security, environment, physical space and housing, leisure and free time, family and social network, satisfaction with life and outlook on life, spirituality and personal beliefs. We conclude that a study on quality of life in Haiti should consider the specific features of the region and its socioeconomic conditions, as well as the cultural features of the population, given that resilience and religiosity strongly affect the way people face the setbacks of life. Taking into account that Haiti was already facing a humanitarian crisis before the earthquake, we point out a possible paradoxical impact of the disaster on the population, with negative effects on security and family ties and favorable effects on the survival conditions of the most miserable segment of the population.

Keywords : Haiti; Earthquake; Humanitarian Crisis; Quality of life.

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