POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER IN ADOLESCENTS AFTER HURRICANE-ANDREW

Objective: To examine rates and correlates of posttraumatic stress dis order (PTSD) in adolescents after Hurricane Andrew. Method: A random-d igit dialing sample of 158 Hispanic, 116 black, and 104 white adolesce nt-parent pairs were surveyed in high- and low-impact areas within Dad e County, Florida, 6 months after Hurricane Andrew. Subjects completed a structured telephone interview focused on within-disaster experienc es and emotional reaction, disaster-related losses, lifetime exposure to Violent or traumatic events, recent stressful experiences, and psyc hiatric symptomatology. Results: Approximately 3% of males (95% confid ence interval 0.4 to 5.3) and 9% of females (95% confidence interval 4 .6 to 13.7) met the criteria for PTSD. Rates were highest among blacks (8.3%, 95% confidence interval 2.3 to 14.2) and Hispanics (6.1%, 95% confidence interval 2.2 to 9.9) and increased with age (odds ratio of 1.34, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 1.72) and the number of undesira ble events reported (odds ratio of 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 1.57). Conclusions: While only a relatively small percentage of ado lescents reported symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of PTSD, most r eported some posttraumatic symptoms. Postdisaster planning should reco gnize that common stressful events occurring after disasters may be mo re strongly associated with PTSD than magnitude of contact with the ac tual disaster.