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Psychopathological consequences after a terrorist attack: An epidemiological study among victims, the general population, and police officers☆

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2007

Rafael Gabriel ,
Laura Ferrando ,
Enrique Sainz Cortón ,
Carlos Mingote ,
Eduardo García-Camba ,
Alberto Fernández Liria  and
Sandro Galea
Rafael Gabriel
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
Laura Ferrando*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Especialidades Médicas, Universidad de Alcalá, Facultad de Medicina, 28.801 Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain
Enrique Sainz Cortón
Affiliation:
Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañó, Madrid, Spain
Carlos Mingote
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
Eduardo García-Camba
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Madrid, Spain
Alberto Fernández Liria
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
Sandro Galea
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Spain
*
∗Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 670678910; fax: +34 914115432. E-mail address: iiap@telefonica.net (L. Ferrando).
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Abstract

Background and aim

To assess the prevalence and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression and anxiety disorders other than PTSD, among three samples with different level of exposure to the March 11, 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid.

Method

We sampled three groups of persons—those injured in the attacks, the residents of Alcala de Henares, and police officers involved with the rescue effort—with different exposure to the March 11, 2004 terrorist attacks, using random sampling from comprehensive censuses of all three groups. In person interviews were conducted with all three groups between 5 and 12 weeks after March 11, 2004. Questionnaire included assessment of socio-demographic characteristics, of PTSD using the Davidson trauma scale, and of a range of psychiatric illnesses using the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI).

Results

The overall sample included 127 persons injured in the attack, 485 residents of Alcalá de Henares, and 153 policemen involved in rescue. Of all three groups 57.5%, 25.9% and 3.9% of persons, respectively, reported symptoms consistent with any assessed psychiatric disorder. The use of psychoactive medication before March 11, 2004 was consistently the main predictor of PTSD and major depression among those injured and of major depression and anxiety disorders others than PTSD among residents of Alcala.

Conclusions

There was a substantial burden of psychological consequences of the March 11, 2004 terrorist attacks two months after the event. Persons with prior mental illness are at higher risk of post-event psychopathology, across groups of exposure.

Keywords

Mental disordersDisasterTerrorismVictimsPopulationRescuers
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 22 , Issue 6 , September 2007 , pp. 339 - 346
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2007

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Footnotes

☆

Sources of support: Spanish Ministry of Interior. Grant. 97/2004; Universidad de Alcalá. Grant: PI2005/05 and Fondo de Investigacón Sanitaria. Grant: PI05/1048.

Declaration of interest: None.

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