Posttraumatic stress reactions after injury

Background: Many individuals experience psychological distress after injury , It is unclear whether poor psychological outcome reflects pretrauma varia bles. Methods: In a prospective, cross-sectional study, 152 accident and emergenc y department patients with physical injuries and an acute stress reaction c ompleted trauma and psychometric questionnaires, including the Impact of Ev ent Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: Although levels of pretrauma social, occupational, and familial fu nctioning were high, and the modal Abbreviated Injury Scale score was 1, th ere were high levels of psychological distress at 3 weeks, Mean Hospital An xiety and Depression Scale anxiety and depression scores were 11.8 (SD, 4,4 ) and 8.7 (SD, 4.4), respectively. The mean total Impact of Event Scale sco re was 46.0 (SD, 16.1). Stepwise linear regression analysis found unemploym ent and previous history of trauma to be associated with increased symptoms of traumatic stress. Conclusion: Trauma patients with high levels of pretrauma functioning may d evelop acute psychological distress. Unemployment and previous trauma incre ase risk, Psychological well-being should he considered in routine injury a ssessments.