Post-traumatic stress disorder in Kashan and Arak emergency medicine department's staffs during 2009

Emergency department staffs and emergency medicine personnel in particular are exposed to various occupational stresses (psychological traumas). There is little information about the possibility and rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the emergency medicine personnel in Iran and the world. This study deals with the PTSD prevalence and the influencing factors among the emergency medicine personnel in Kashan and Arak provinces. Using a descriptive–analytic study to evaluate the rate of PTSD and psychological trauma intensity, 150 emergency medicine personnel of Arak and Kashan were studied. IES-15, PTSS-10 standard questionnaires and DSM-IV criteria were used for the study. Using SPSS-14 the data was analyzed by Fisher exact test, t-student, ANOVA and Chi square statistical tests. One-hundred out of 150 of participants answered to the questionnaires. Based on DSM-IV, 44 (36.4%) qualified the PTSD diagnostic criteria and considering the IES index one third of the emergency staffs were under the severe effect of event. In addition, 11 (9%) had a PTSS score of ≥5, indicative of a severe reaction to trauma. While there was a significant relationship between the marital status and PTSD (i.e. the single had much of the PTSD criteria), no difference was seen between the sex, education, and type of occupation with PTSD criteria. Based on the study, the rate of PTSD and also the intensity of trauma were high among the emergency medicine personnel. It seems that these individuals are exposed to severe occupational stress and related complications.