« Chido broke it all! »: PTSD across individuals who have experienced Cyclone Chido

Background and aims Cyclone Chido, which struck Mayotte on December 14, 2024, exposed residents to significant distress. Natural disasters are associated with elevated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence, particularly in structurally vulnerable settings. This study examined the prevalence of PTSD following Cyclone Chido and its association with gender and administrative status. Methods In this cross-sectional study conducted in March 2025, 298 cyclone-exposed participants completed the PCL-5 scale. Probable PTSD was assessed using a cutoff of 33. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of gender and administrative status with PCL-5 scores. Similar analyses were conducted for PCL-5 criteria scores (B-E). For non-significant results, Bayesian factors (BF inclusion ) were used to complement frequentist analyses. Findings The proportion of participants exposed to the Chido cyclone with PTSD symptoms was 52.3%, with 95% CI [46.7, 58]. Gender was not significantly associated with PCL-5 scores. Bayesian analyses supported this result. However, administrative status was significantly associated with PCL-5 scores. Participants with a foreign administrative status had higher scores than those with French administrative status. Similar results were found for the criteria (B-E). Conclusions The rate of PCL-5 scores above 33 is markedly elevated among people who have experienced Cyclone Chido. In contrast to previous studies, there was no association between gender and PTSD symptoms in the context of potential cumulative adversity. However, administrative status was associated with the PCL-5 score. This underscores the need for interventions that target structural issues.