scholarly journals Analyzing the Impact of COVID-19 Trauma on Developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Emergency Medical Workers in Spain

Author(s):  
Carmen M. Martínez-Caballero ◽  
Rosa M. Cárdaba-García ◽  
Rocío Varas-Manovel ◽  
Laura M. García-Sanz ◽  
Jorge Martínez-Piedra ◽  
...  

The early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic presented the characteristics of a traumatic event that could trigger post-traumatic stress disorder. Emergency Medical Services workers are already a high-risk group due to their professional development. The research project aimed to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on EMS professionals in terms of their mental health. For this purpose, we present a descriptive crosssectional study with survey methodology. A total of 317 EMS workers (doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians) were recruited voluntarily. Psychological distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and insomnia were assessed. The instruments were the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS-8), and the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS-8). We found that 36% of respondents had psychological distress, 30.9% potentially had PTSD, and 60.9% experienced insomnia. Years of work experience were found to be positively correlated, albeit with low effect, with the PTSD score (r = 0.133). Finally, it can be stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a traumatic event for EMS workers. The number of professionals presenting psychological distress, possible PTSD, or insomnia increased dramatically during the early phases of the pandemic. This study highlights the need for mental health disorder prevention programmes for EMS workers in the face of a pandemic.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (34) ◽  
pp. 2884-2887
Author(s):  
Ajay Kumar Joopaka ◽  
Molanguri Umashankar ◽  
Pingali Srilakshmi ◽  
Pradeep Sharma Telkapalli ◽  
Chinni Krishna Banoth ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Corona virus disease or the (COVID 19) has caused mental health problems in the general population, in people infected and hospitalised for the disease and in patients who have recovered from the disease physically but continue to suffer from lingering mental health problems. Studies have shown stress, depression, and anxiety in one third of the survivors. Similarly post-traumatic stress disorder has been reported to be around 13 % in the survivors of COVID 19. In this study, we wanted to assess the psychological symptoms in the survivors of Covid 19 patients, one month post discharge and also assess various factors associated with the same. METHODS A cross sectional telephonic survey of the patients one month following discharge was done to understand the psychological problems. Sociodemographic data was recorded on a semi structured proforma, whereas psychological distress was recorded on patient health questionnaire - 4 (PHQ - 4) and the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was screened for by the impact of event scale revised (IES - R). RESULTS Of the 200 patients evaluated, 46.8 % scored above 20 on the impact of event scale which was considered to be a positive screen for post-traumatic stress disorder. Moderate psychological distress was reported by 10.5 % and severe by 7.5 % as measured by PHQ - 4. Being married, having other family members effected by the infection and deaths in the family were some of the factors that were significantly associated with psychological distress and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. CONCLUSIONS Continued mental health support needs to be extended to members who are considered to have recovered and discharged from the hospital following the COVID 19 infection. KEY WORDS COVID 19, Psychological Symptoms, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder


2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-85
Author(s):  
Kristia Novia ◽  
Tita Hariyanti ◽  
Laily Yuliatun

Natural disasters are still a matter of the world until today. The events pose not only physical impact but also psychological impacts that leave deep sorrow and fear. The survivors of the disaster felt they were at a very unsettled condition, felt very fearful, felt agitated for uncertain circumstances, and became very easily panicked until they could experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This systematic review aims to identify the impact–effects often posed by natural disasters on the soul health of survivors. Data searching is done on the Proquest, Pubmed, Science Direct, Sage, and Scopus databases that were converged in the 2013 to 2019 ranges. The psychological impact experienced by the victims after natural disaster events are depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fear, suicide experiments, and other mental health disorders such as mood changes and a loss of interest in an activity. Natural disasters can hurt the mental health of the victims. If the psychological problems that occur to the victims are not immediately addressed, the victims will fall on more mental severe disorder conditions.


2000 ◽  
Vol 14 (2_suppl1) ◽  
pp. S5-S12 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. T. Davidson

Trauma has an enormous impact on both individuals and society as a whole. Recognition of the extent of this impact by the medical profession has been relatively slow but, with our growing appreciation of the prevalence of trauma exposure in civilian as well as combat populations, the true scale of trauma-related psychiatric consequences is beginning to emerge. It has been reported that more than 60% of men and 51% of women experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetimes. Of these, 8% and 20%, respectively, fall victim to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) indicating that more women are at risk for developing PTSD. Individuals experience severe psychiatric stress that is compounded by significant comorbid illness. This impacts critically upon quality of life resulting in grave functional and emotional impairment. In addition, there is a detrimental cost to society with high financial and social consequences from the significantly elevated rates of hospitalization, suicide attempts and alcohol abuse.


1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Feinstein ◽  
Ray Dolan

SYNOPSISA prospective study documenting psychopathology was undertaken in 48 subjects exposed to a range of physical trauma, but whose injuries were of similar severity. No support was found for the DSM-III-R view correlating the severity of the stressor with the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Distress post injury (high scores on the impact of event scale), indicative of difficulty with cognitive assimilation of the traumatic event, was found to be highly predictive of psychiatric morbidity and PTSD at 6 months.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55
Author(s):  
Durga Mishra ◽  
Deena Giri ◽  
Sujan Babu Marahatta

Background: On April 25, 2015 at 11:56 local time, a great earthquake of massive magnitude-7.8 trembler was experienced in Nepal. Along with the physical and economical loss, such disasters can have devastating consequences in adolescent’s mental health. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and associated factors among adolescents after 2015 Nepal Earthquake.Methods: A total of 140 adolescents from grade 8, 9 and 10 of two higher secondary schools were recruited in this study. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder CheckList-5 (PCL-5) of DSM-V criteria was used for the diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Chi-square test was used to assess the association.Results: Among 140 adolescents, the age range was 12 to 19 years with a mean age of 14.8 (SD=1.1) where 27.1% of the participants had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  A statistically significant association was found between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and grade (χ² = 9.324, p<0.01), earthquake exposure (χ² =32.251, p<0.001) and death of someone close in earthquake (χ² = 9.535, p<0.01). Majority of the respondents reported symptoms of avoiding memories, thoughts, or feelings related to the stressful experience (58.57%).Conclusions: This study hopes to assist the therapist, psychiatrists and planners in the design and implementation of effective and appropriate intervention programs that can help reduce the impact of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on adolescents, aid in psychological reconstruction and decrease the long term negative mental health consequences of such disasters especially for those who are at lower grade, were exposed to earthquake and lost their close people in the earthquake.Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health SciencesVol. 3, No. 1, 2017, page: 45-55


Author(s):  
Shai Shorer ◽  
Yael Caspi ◽  
Hadass Goldblatt ◽  
Faisal Azaiza

Abstract Many veterans coping with combat-post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) refrain from seeking psychological treatment. We explored the nature of illness recognition and treatment utilisation in two different cultural groups of Israeli veterans—Bedouin and Jewish. Using qualitative research methods, we interviewed twenty veterans dealing with PTSD (ten Bedouin and ten Jewish) and ten mental health professionals. Participants shared their experiences of symptoms, the ways they coped, and their perception of the costs and benefits of psychological treatment. Two main themes emerged: (i) ‘Veterans’ Perceptions of Their Mental Injury’. In stark contrast to their Jewish counterparts, Bedouin participants described extreme lack of understanding regarding the relationship between their exposure to combat trauma and their distress; (ii) ‘Veterans’ Perceptions of the Mental Health Services’. Bedouin veterans expressed fear of the stigma associated with PTSD and its detrimental social implications, for them and their families. Jewish veterans emphasised the beneficial and informative role of therapy. The findings underscore the impact of different cultural codes on help-seeking behaviours and on the ability to benefit from psychological treatment. It is recommended that mental health practitioners consider cultural backgrounds and individual differences when implementing trauma interventions, to fine-tune their suitability to veterans facing excessive barriers to care.


2021 ◽  
pp. 175114372098318
Author(s):  
Natasha Dykes ◽  
Oliver Johnson ◽  
Peter Bamford

Background COVID-19 has presented a unique set of psychological stressors for healthcare professionals. There is currently a dearth of literature establishing the impact amongst intensive care workers, who may be at the greatest risk. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder amongst a cohort of intensive care workers within the United Kingdom. Methods A questionnaire was designed to incorporate validated screening tools for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale, GAD-7), and post-traumatic stress disorder (Impact of Event Scale–Revised, IES-R). All intensive care workers at the Countess of Chester Hospital (UK) were eligible. Data was collected between 17th June and 8th July 2020. Results The majority of the 131 respondents were nurses (52.7% [69/131]) or doctors (32.8% [43/141]). Almost one-third (29.8% [39/131]) reported a significant or extreme impact of COVID-19 on their mental health. In total, 16%(21/131) had symptoms of moderate depression, 11.5%(15/131) moderately severe depression and 6.1%(8/131) severe depression. Females had significantly higher mean PHQ-9 scores than males (8.8 and 5.7 respectively, p = 0.009). Furthermore, 18.3% (24/131) had moderate anxiety with 14.5% (19/131) having severe anxiety. Mean GAD-7 scores were higher amongst females than males (8.7 and 6.3 respectively, p = 0.028). Additionally, 28.2% (37/131) reported symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of PTSD (IES-R ≥ 33). Despite these findings, only 3.1% (4/131) of staff accessed trust mental health support. Conclusion The impact of COVID-19 on intensive care workers is significant and warrants specific focus and attention in order to preserve this key sector of the workforce.


2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 1837-1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Priebe ◽  
J. Gavrilovic ◽  
S. Bremner ◽  
D. Ajdukovic ◽  
T. Franciskovic ◽  
...  

BackgroundPrevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the experience of war have been shown to be high. However, little is known about the course of the disorder in people who remained in the area of conflict and in refugees.MethodWe studied a representative sample of 522 adults with war-related PTSD in five Balkan countries and 215 compatriot refugees in three Western European countries. They were assessed on average 8 years after the war and reinterviewed 1 year later. We established change in PTSD symptoms, measured on the Impact of Events Scale – Revised (IES-R), and factors associated with more or less favourable outcomes.ResultsDuring the 1-year period, symptoms decreased substantially in both Balkan residents and in refugees. The differences were significant for IES-R total scores and for the three subscales of intrusions, avoidance and hyperarousal. In multivariable regressions adjusting for the level of baseline symptoms, co-morbidity with depression predicted less favourable symptom change in Balkan residents. More pre-war traumatic events and the use of mental health services within the follow-up period were associated with less improvement in refugees.ConclusionsSeveral years after the war, people with PTSD reported significant symptom improvement that might indicate a fluctuating course over time. Co-morbid depression may have to be targeted in the treatment of people who remained in the post-conflict regions whereas the use of mental health services seems to be linked to the persistence of symptoms among refugees.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-178
Author(s):  
Endah Nawangsih

Anywhere in the world, natural disasters events cause loss of life, moreover a deep sorrow and fear for the victims. They were in a state of very uneasy, very scared, never-ending anxiety, and become prone to panic. These conditions called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a continuous maladaptive reaction to a traumatic experience. In contrast to adults, children are in a state highly vulnerable to the impact caused by a traumatic event. Children with PTSD may show confusion or agitation. This condition brings suffering prolonged, if not given proper treatment. It required a specific intervention design for children with PTSD namely Play Therapy techniques. This intervention is one way that can be used to understand the world of children through playing, so that when used in the right circumstances can be meaningful as physical activity as well as therapy.


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