Post-traumatic stress high in NYC after Sept. 11

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Post-traumatic stress high in NYC after Sept. 11

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK, Mar 27 (Reuters Health) - In the early aftermath of September 11,

New Yorkers were suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD) at about twice the typical US rate, according to study

results released Wednesday.

Researchers say their findings are " not surprising, " and that studies should

continue to follow the psychological consequences of the terrorist attacks.

Moreover, understanding these consequences will help public-health experts

plan for dealing with the psychological fallout of any future disasters, the

study's lead author told Reuters Health.

Among the more than 1,000 adults interviewed for the study, 7.5% reported

symptoms of PTSD and nearly 10% had symptoms of depression, according to

findings published in the March 28th issue of The New England Journal of

Medicine.

PTSD is commonly associated with war veterans, but the disorder can strike

any survivor of traumas such as natural disasters, accidents or violence. It

is often marked by flashbacks of the event, intrusive memories, sleep

disturbances, depression and irritability. Research has suggested that fewer

than 4% of Americans experience PTSD in a given year--about half the rate

found in this study.

Similarly, the roughly 10% of respondents who reported significant current

depression was twice the estimated national prevalence, according to the

study authors, led by Dr. Sandro Galea of the New York Academy of Medicine.

Going into the study, it was hard to know what to expect in terms of

numbers, Galea noted in an interview.

" There (have been) no other disasters of this magnitude in this country that

were human-made, " he said.

In addition, Galea said, research on PTSD typically looks at people who were

directly involved in a trauma. His team wanted to study the psychological

effects of a disaster like September 11 on the wider community.

The researchers interviewed residents of Manhattan 5 to 8 weeks after the

attacks. Respondents were considered to have possible PTSD if their symptoms

had been present during the past month and had persisted for at least 2

weeks.

Galea's team found that residents living fairly close to the World Trade

Center site--below Canal Street--were particularly likely to have PTSD

symptoms, as were Hispanic respondents and those who lost possessions in the

attacks. Respondents who said they had panic attacks immediately after the

assaults were more than seven times more likely than others to report PTSD

symptoms.

Those who lost friends, relatives or their jobs were, not surprisingly, at

increased risk of depression. Hispanic respondents, those who suffered panic

attacks and those who said they had low levels of social support were also

more likely to report depression, the findings show.

Galea said that these findings help identify individuals who, in the event

of a similar disaster, may need extra support in the immediate aftermath to

prevent longer-term problems.

He noted that previous research has suggested that the symptoms his team

found will fade on their own in one-half to two-thirds of individuals. He

and his colleagues are continuing to follow how the prevalence of depression

and PTSD in New Yorkers changes over time.

SOURCE: The New England Journal of Medicine 2002;346:982-987.

Copyright © 2002 Reuters Limited.