Loss as a determinant of PTSD in a cohort of adult survivors of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia: implications for policy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To study the relationship of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to severity of the disaster experience.

METHOD:

A sample of 1785 adult participants of an epidemiological study initiated in the immediate aftermath of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia were interviewed about 2 years following the disaster based on the NIMH DIS-Disaster Supplement. All 154 cases of pure PTSD were compared with 583 controls without symptoms satisfying psychiatric diagnoses of interest.

RESULTS:

Preventing PTSD in trauma survivors.

Abstract

This article highlights some of the core issues in the prevention of PTSD in trauma survivors. A review of some of the noteworthy research is presented along with new directions for research, training, education, and social planning efforts.

Prospective study of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive reactions after earthquake and political violence.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The authors sought to assess the severity and longitudinal course of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive reactions among two groups of adults differentially exposed to severe and mild earthquake trauma and a third group exposed to severe violence. They also examined interrelationships among these reactions and predictors of outcome and compared posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom category profile and course between those exposed to earthquake and those exposed to violence.

METHOD:

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