Safety fears and relocation stressors related to flawed buildings: Ireland’s defective concrete crisis

The use of defective concrete in the construction of buildings in Ireland has led to widespread property deterioration, displacement, financial loss, and psychological distress for thousands of families. No research to date has examined mental health outcomes or associated risk factors among affected individuals. This study aimed to generate estimates of probable major depressive disorder (MDD), probable generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), probable complex PTSD (CPTSD), and suicidal ideation in a sample of this population and to identify crisis-related stressors associated with outcomes, while adjusting for trauma history, sociodemographic characteristics, and social support. A convenience sample of 393 adults completed a self-report survey between March and September 2024. Estimates were 30.4% for MDD, 26.2% for GAD, 4.9% for PTSD, and 15.5% for CPTSD. Suicidal ideation, experienced after a property was suspected to have defective concrete, was present in 35.5% of the sample. Safety fears were associated with CPTSD, MDD, and suicidal ideation, odds ratios (ORs) = 2.09–4.39, whereas GAD was associated with relocating, OR = 2.25. These findings highlight the substantial psychological impact of the crisis and identify specific stressors associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes.