TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychosocial adjustment of directly exposed survivors 7 years after the Oklahoma City bombing
AU - North, Carol S
AU - Pfefferbaum, Betty
AU - Kawasaki, Aya
AU - Lee, Sungkyu
AU - Spitznagel, Edward L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was partially supported under Award Number MIPT106-113-2000-020 from the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) and the Office for Domestic Preparedness, US Department of Homeland Security to Dr Pfefferbaum, and by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Grants MH40025 and MH68853 to Dr North. Dr North discloses employment by VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, TX. Points of view in this document are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of MIPT, NIMH, the US Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the United States Government.
PY - 2011/1
Y1 - 2011/1
N2 - Objective: The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the long-term course of psychiatric disorders, symptoms, and functioning among 113 directly exposed survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing systematically assessed at 6 months and again nearly 7 years postbombing. Methods: The Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Disaster Supplement was used to assess predisaster and postdisaster psychiatric disorders and symptoms and other variables of relevance to disaster exposure and outcomes. Results: Total prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was 41%. Seven years postbombing, 26% of the sample still had active PTSD. Delayed-onset PTSD and new postdisaster alcohol use disorders were not observed. PTSD nonremission was predicted by the occurrence of negative life events after the bombing. Posttraumatic symptoms among survivors without PTSD decayed more rapidly than for those with PTSD, and symptoms remained at 7 years even for many who did not develop PTSD. Those with PTSD reported more functioning problems at index than those without PTSD, but functioning improved dramatically over 7 years, regardless of PTSD or remission from PTSD. No survivors had long-term employment disability based on psychiatric problems alone. Conclusions: These findings have potentially important implications for anticipation of long-term emotional and functional recovery from disaster trauma. Published by Elsevier Inc.
AB - Objective: The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the long-term course of psychiatric disorders, symptoms, and functioning among 113 directly exposed survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing systematically assessed at 6 months and again nearly 7 years postbombing. Methods: The Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Disaster Supplement was used to assess predisaster and postdisaster psychiatric disorders and symptoms and other variables of relevance to disaster exposure and outcomes. Results: Total prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was 41%. Seven years postbombing, 26% of the sample still had active PTSD. Delayed-onset PTSD and new postdisaster alcohol use disorders were not observed. PTSD nonremission was predicted by the occurrence of negative life events after the bombing. Posttraumatic symptoms among survivors without PTSD decayed more rapidly than for those with PTSD, and symptoms remained at 7 years even for many who did not develop PTSD. Those with PTSD reported more functioning problems at index than those without PTSD, but functioning improved dramatically over 7 years, regardless of PTSD or remission from PTSD. No survivors had long-term employment disability based on psychiatric problems alone. Conclusions: These findings have potentially important implications for anticipation of long-term emotional and functional recovery from disaster trauma. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.comppsych.2010.04.003
DO - 10.1016/j.comppsych.2010.04.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 21220059
AN - SCOPUS:78651343707
SN - 0010-440X
VL - 52
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Comprehensive Psychiatry
JF - Comprehensive Psychiatry
IS - 1
ER -