One year later: Changes felt by civilians and responders exposed to the November 2015 attacks in Paris

Abstract

Introduction: One year after the attacks of November 13, 2015, Santé publique France, within the framework of the 13-November program, set up the Post-Attacks Public Health Survey of November 2015 (ESPA November 13) aimed at exposed civilians and responders. Several open questions are proposed including our question of interest: “Would you say that the experience you have had has changed you, in one way or another? Could you explain to us how? Objective: The aim is to understand the effect of attacks on civilians and responders and to compare their responses. Method: A thematic analysis is proposed for each of the two groups. The themes are common to them but appear to be qualitatively different. The qualitative analysis is supplemented and refined by figures concerning the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents in each group. Results: Some respondents (mainly male workers) do not feel any change. They have specific protective factors. Painful changes at the relational, emotional, and psychic level impact above all female civilians. Some changes take the form of resilience or even post-traumatic growth. They presuppose a process of transformation, which involves a reappropriation of one's existence (for a quarter of civilians and workers alike) but also a new relationship to the world (among workers who worked on the night of November 13) and to oneself (mainly for civilians, women). Conclusion: The impact of the attacks is greater for civilians and particularly women. The process of transformation observed can lead to favorable outcomes that do not, however, avoid suffering. It would be appropriate to transpose some of the protection factors from the responders to the civilian populations.