TY - JOUR
T1 - Trends of elevated PTSD risk in firefighters exposed to the World Trade Center disaster
T2 - 2001-2005
AU - Berninger, Amy
AU - Webber, Mayris P.
AU - Cohen, Hillel W.
AU - Gustave, Jackson
AU - Lee, Roy
AU - Niles, Justin K.
AU - Chiu, Sydney
AU - Zeig-Owens, Rachel
AU - Soo, Jackie
AU - Kelly, Kerry
AU - Prezant, David J.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Objectives. We identified trends in the prevalence of elevated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk as determined by the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY)-modified PTSD Checklist in World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters. We also examined trends in relation to WTC exposure, social support, change in recreational activities, and functional health. Methods. We analyzed 16,826 questionnaires from 10,074 firefighters in yearly intervals, from September 12, 2001, to September 11, 2005. Results. The prevalence of elevated PTSD risk increased over time, from 9.8% in year 1 to 10.6% in year 4 (p<0.0001). Earliest arrival at the WTC site (odds ratio [OR] = 6.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.4, 8.3), prolonged work at the site (OR=2.0; 95% CI 1.8, 2.3), providing supervision without previous supervisory experience (OR=4.1; 95% CI 2.8, 6.1), and retirement due to a WTC-related disability (OR=1.3; 95% CI 1.1, 1.5) were associated with ever having elevated PTSD risk. Difficulty functioning at home was strongly associated with elevated PTSD risk (ORs ranged from 17.0 [95% CI 14.5, 20.0] in year 1 to 26.7 [95% CI 20.3, 35.2] in year 3), as was difficulty functioning at work (ORs ranged from 12.1 [95% CI 10.2, 14.2] in year 1 to 23.0 [95% CI 14.6, 36.3] in year 2). Conclusions. Elevated PTSD risk was associated with exposure to the WTC site as well as functional impairment, and remained largely unabated during the first four years of the study. Screening for elevated PTSD risk may be useful in identifying those who could benefit from interventions during long-term follow-up, as well as in the immediate aftermath of disasters.
AB - Objectives. We identified trends in the prevalence of elevated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk as determined by the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY)-modified PTSD Checklist in World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters. We also examined trends in relation to WTC exposure, social support, change in recreational activities, and functional health. Methods. We analyzed 16,826 questionnaires from 10,074 firefighters in yearly intervals, from September 12, 2001, to September 11, 2005. Results. The prevalence of elevated PTSD risk increased over time, from 9.8% in year 1 to 10.6% in year 4 (p<0.0001). Earliest arrival at the WTC site (odds ratio [OR] = 6.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.4, 8.3), prolonged work at the site (OR=2.0; 95% CI 1.8, 2.3), providing supervision without previous supervisory experience (OR=4.1; 95% CI 2.8, 6.1), and retirement due to a WTC-related disability (OR=1.3; 95% CI 1.1, 1.5) were associated with ever having elevated PTSD risk. Difficulty functioning at home was strongly associated with elevated PTSD risk (ORs ranged from 17.0 [95% CI 14.5, 20.0] in year 1 to 26.7 [95% CI 20.3, 35.2] in year 3), as was difficulty functioning at work (ORs ranged from 12.1 [95% CI 10.2, 14.2] in year 1 to 23.0 [95% CI 14.6, 36.3] in year 2). Conclusions. Elevated PTSD risk was associated with exposure to the WTC site as well as functional impairment, and remained largely unabated during the first four years of the study. Screening for elevated PTSD risk may be useful in identifying those who could benefit from interventions during long-term follow-up, as well as in the immediate aftermath of disasters.
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U2 - 10.1177/003335491012500411
DO - 10.1177/003335491012500411
M3 - Article
C2 - 20597456
AN - SCOPUS:77955623204
SN - 0033-3549
VL - 125
SP - 556
EP - 566
JO - Public Health Reports
JF - Public Health Reports
IS - 4
ER -
