Table 1

Frequency of media exposure during the reference period (26 December 2004 to date of survey) and responses related to the tsunami

	Male(n = 292) (%)	Female (n = 312) (%)	All(n = 604) (%)	p Value (χ² test)	Odds ratio* (CIES>26)
*Univariate odds ratios for CIES >26 comparing those with media exposure of >3 times a day with those with exposure <3 times a day, those frequently/very frequently exposed to distasteful ways and contents to those who were not frequently exposed to such and those who were disturbed/much disturbed to images/contents compared with those who were not distributed by such images/contents. †Images. ‡Contents. NA, OR cannot be calculated because of presence of null cells (among those who did not feel unrest, none had CIES⩾26).
% Exposed to media >3 times a day:
TV news	43.2	48.1	45.7	0.23	1.34
Other TV programmes	19.9	23.4	21.7	0.29	2.47**
Newspapers	14.0	8.7	11.3	0.04	1.28
Video on public transportation vehicles	3.4	2.6	3.0	0.53	4.19*
Radio	21.2	21.9	21.6	0.85	3.15***
Internet	11.7	7.4	9.5	0.07	1.27
Any of above	57.9	59.6	58.8	0.66	1.98
% Frequently/very frequently exposed to distressful images:
Buildings/cities being destroyed†	82.2	82.1	82.1	0.96	0.99
Land flooded by tide†	65.1	66.6	65.8	0.70	1.00
Dead bodies (near shot)†	21.2	25.6	23.5	0.20	2.68**
Dead bodies (distance shot)†	45.9	41.3	43.5	0.26	1.60
Crying victims†	58.2	64.7	61.6	0.10	1.52
Injured children†	43.2	51.3	47.4	0.05	2.04*
Loss/seeking of family members†	56.5	64.4	60.6	0.05	1.43
% Distribution much disturbed by images:
Buildings /cities being destroyed†	51.0	71.9	61.8	<0.001	3.51**
Land flooded by tide†	51.7	69.8	61.0	<0.001	2.66*
Dead bodies (near shot)†	52.4	62.8	57.8	0.01	4.21**
Dead bodies (distance shot)†	47.3	65.1	56.5	<0.001	4.46***
Crying victims†	57.9	76.5	67.4	<0.001	4.09**
Injured children†	50.7	72.7	62.0	<0.001	6.75***
Loss/seeking of family members†	55.5	75.2	65.7	<0.001	2.95*
% Frequently/very frequently exposed to contents:
Missing Hong Kong people‡	72.9	67.0	69.9	0.11	0.92
Outbreak of epidemics‡	59.9	61.2	60.6	0.75	1.04
Rising death tolls‡	84.2	83.3	83.8	0.76	1.56
Rotten dead bodies‡	50.0	59.3	54.8	0.02	1.49
Insufficient supply for relief work‡	53.4	54.5	54.0	0.79	1.73
Lack of food/shelter‡	72.6	75.6	74.2	0.39	2.88*
Children abducted‡	27.4	35.0	31.3	0.04	1.74
Riot or rape cases‡	15.8	23.1	19.5	0.02	1.60
% Distribution much disturbed by contents:
Missing Hong Kong people‡	57.5	74.7	66.4	<0.001	7.66**
Outbreak of epidemics‡	55.1	69.5	62.5	<0.001	5.11**
Rising death tolls‡	64.4	77.9	71.4	<0.001	19.21**
Rotten dead bodies‡	52.1	67.0	59.8	<0.001	5.78***
Insufficient supply for relief work‡	45.5	59.2	52.6	0.001	4.50***
Lack of food / shelter‡	64.6	76.0	70.5	0.002	NA
Children abducted‡	54.0	75.0	64.8	<0.001	8.23***
Riot or rape cases‡	48.8	59.3	54.2	0.01	3.59**