Examining a Comprehensive Model of Disaster-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Systematically Studied Survivors of 10 Disasters

Bibliographic Data

ID11020864
AuthorsCarol S North (0000-0001-6032-5323, Carol S. North is with the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System and the Departments of Psychiatry and Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Julianne Oliver is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas, Dallas. At the time of the study, Anand Pandya was with the Department of Psychiatry, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, and the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.), Julianne Oliver (Carol S. North is with the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System and the Departments of Psychiatry and Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Julianne Oliver is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas, Dallas. At the time of the study, Anand Pandya was with the Department of Psychiatry, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, and the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.), Anand Pandya (0000-0003-0266-8031, Carol S. North is with the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System and the Departments of Psychiatry and Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Julianne Oliver is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas, Dallas. At the time of the study, Anand Pandya was with the Department of Psychiatry, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, and the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.)
Year2012
Volume102
Issue10
Pagese40-e48
Publication date2012-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2012.300689
PMID22897543
PMCIDPMC3490647
OpenAlexW2098438254
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited25

Objectives. Using a comprehensive disaster model, we examined predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in combined data from 10 different disasters. Methods. The combined sample included data from 811 directly exposed survivors of 10 disasters between 1987 and 1995. We used consistent methods across all 10 disaster samples, including full diagnostic assessment. Results. In multivariate analyses, predictors of PTSD were female gender, younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, less education, ever-married status, predisaster psychopathology, disaster injury, and witnessing injury or death; exposure through death or injury to friends or family members and witnessing the disaster aftermath did not confer additional PTSD risk. Intentionally caused disasters associated with PTSD in bivariate analysis did not independently predict PTSD in multivariate analysis. Avoidance and numbing symptoms represented a PTSD marker. Conclusions. Despite confirming some previous research findings, we found no associations between PTSD and disaster typology. Prospective research is needed to determine whether early avoidance and numbing symptoms identify individuals likely to develop PTSD later. Our findings may help identify at-risk populations for treatment research

Environmental health · Injury prevention · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Posttraumatic stress · Psychiatry · Suicide prevention · Clinical Psychology · Disaster Response and Management · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology

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