학술논문

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in an Emergency Department Population One Year after Hurricane Katrina
Document Type
Article
Source
Journal of Emergency Medicine (0736-4679). Jul2012, Vol. 43 Issue 1, p76-82. 7p.
Subject
*POST-traumatic stress disorder
*ASSISTANCE in emergencies
*HURRICANE Katrina, 2005
*PUBLIC health
*PRIMARY health care
*MULTIVARIATE analysis
*PHYSIOLOGY
Language
ISSN
0736-4679
Abstract
Abstract: Background: Hurricane Katrina resulted in a significant amount of injury, death, and destruction. Study Objectives: To determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in an emergency department (ED) population, 1 year after hurricane Katrina. Methods: Survey data including the Primary Care PTSD (PC-PTSD) screening instrument, demographic data, and questions regarding health care needs and personal loss were collected and analyzed. Results: Seven hundred forty-seven subjects completed the survey. The PC-PTSD screen was positive in 38%. In the single variate analysis, there was a correlation with a positive PC-PTSD screen and the following: staying in New Orleans during the storm (odds ratio [OR] 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–2.34), having material losses (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.03–2.60), experiencing the death of a loved one (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.35–1.87), needing health care during the storm (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.48–2.73), and not having health care needs met during the storm (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.26–3.18) or after returning to New Orleans (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.40–3.73). In the multivariate analysis, the death of a loved one (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.26–2.78), being in New Orleans during the storm (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.22–2.33), and seeking health care during the storm (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.22–2.35) were associated with positive PC-PTSD screens. Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of PTSD in this ED population surveyed 1 year after hurricane Katrina. By targeting high-risk patients, disaster relief teams may be able to reduce the impact of PTSD in similar populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]