Online Program

Developing Public-Health Strategies Following Mass-Violence Events Through the Framework of Multiple-Objective Decision Analysis (307798)

Keywords: trauma, psychology, PTSD, utility, society, adjustment

In line with the diverse psychological reactions among civilians following World War II bombings, school shootings and other mass-violence episodes can be expected to affect survivors differently depending on their connections to the underlying events. In the aftermath of such events, the short-term impact of a community intervention is apt to be positive for many individuals but could be negative for at least some of the most impacted individuals, perhaps due to embedded messages being delivered too soon or serving as re-traumatizing reminders. With a focus on broader public-health objectives, this presentation seeks to address the traumatic consequences of mass-violence events within the framework of decision analysis with multiple objectives. Specific consideration will be given to distinctions in the reactions to be expected among subgroups of affected individuals, the importance of considering how such reactions can be expected to unfold over time, qualms in this context about the assumption of utility independence (which can help streamline decisions with multiple objectives when it is valid), and the public-health and societal implications of alternative priorities.