Assessment of Psychological Impact of Searching and Retrieval of Dead Human Bodies from Rivers on Untrained Divers: A Case Study of River Nzoia

Abstract

The search and retrieval of dead human bodies from rivers can be a distressing and psychologically challenging task for individuals involved, including search and rescue teams, forensic investigators, medical professionals, law enforcers, and local communities. The current study explored the psychological impact of such experiences on untrained divers in the searching and retrieval process, placing special focus on River Nzoia in Western Kenya. There is limited knowledge of the experiences of divers and retrievers in Kenya; particularly around River Nzoia. The current study sought to fill that gap by assessing the psychological impact of the work on untrained divers involved in searching and retrieval of corpses from rivers, paying particular interest to the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. The researcher also studied coping mechanisms used by the divers to mitigate their predisposition to these psychological effects. The geographical scope of the research was limited to River Nzoia within Kamuli Sub-Location of Kochwa Location, Bunyala West Division, Navakholo Sub-County, Navakholo Constituency, Kakamega County. The study was guided by the Trauma Theory, the Cognitive Appraisal Theory, and the Social Support Theory. For data collection, the researcher obtained the necessary permission from the Daystar University Institutional Scientific and Ethical Review Committee (DU- ISERC) as well as from the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation (NACOSTI). The target population of the study were 100 divers based along the river. Out of the 100 divers targeted in the study, 80 of them were selected in the representative sample using snowballing and simple purposive sampling methods. The study embraced the descriptive study design and empirical methods of data analysis by the use of SPSS software. From the findings, prevalence rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety were very high confirming the speculation that individuals involved in the search and retrieval of human bodies from River Nzoia could be suffering significant psychological effects. Further, the results illustrated that the divers would use diverse methods of coping, majorly maladaptive, including not talking to friends, abusing drugs, and seeking disruptions to suppress the effects and after effects from their work. The findings were consistent with the results of multiple other studies indicating that active search and retrieval of human remains predispose those involved to psychological problems and they are left to explore coping mechanisms as each deem fit. Based on the research findings, the researcher recommends, among others, the proper diagnosis of the divers by health officials in Kakamega and Bungoma counties and extension of assistance to the divers, including psychotherapy and psychiatric attention. Additionally, there is need to equip the divers with skills, equipment, and tools in order to ease their work. Lastly, the researcher recommends carrying out of similar researches in other rivers in Kenya, as well as testing of other psychological disorders suffered apart from the three screened in this study