PROBLEM: The prevalence of acute stress disorder symptoms (ASDS) and other psychiatric comorbidities in youth with recent gunshot injuries. METHODS: Children (n=20) admitted to an urban hospital ER for gunshot injuries over a 4-year period were evaluated for ASDS, co-morbid DSM-III-R diagnoses, legal and gang involvement, and psychiatric history; medically hospitalized children (n=36) similar in age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status served as a control group. FINDINGS: Gunshot-injured youth reported a 75% rate of ASDS compared to a 14% rate in medically ill youth (OR 18.6; chi2 = p < .0001). Parent ratings of ASDS closely corresponded with youth ratings. Youth rated reexperiencing the event as the most frequent distressing symptom. Gunshot injury was associated with legal problems, gang involvement, marijuana/alcohol dependence, conduct disorder, social phobia, and agoraphobia compared to youth with medical illness. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to youth with medical illness, gunshot-injured youth were 18.6 times (p = .0001) more likely to show symptoms of ASDS. Further research, developmentally appropriate assessment, prevention, and treatment are needed in this area.
PROBLEM: The prevalence of acute stress disorder symptoms (ASDS) and other psychiatric comorbidities in youth with recent gunshot injuries. METHODS:Children (n=20) admitted to an urban hospital ER for gunshot injuries over a 4-year period were evaluated for ASDS, co-morbid DSM-III-R diagnoses, legal and gang involvement, and psychiatric history; medically hospitalized children (n=36) similar in age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status served as a control group. FINDINGS: Gunshot-injured youth reported a 75% rate of ASDS compared to a 14% rate in medically ill youth (OR 18.6; chi2 = p < .0001). Parent ratings of ASDS closely corresponded with youth ratings. Youth rated reexperiencing the event as the most frequent distressing symptom. Gunshot injury was associated with legal problems, gang involvement, marijuana/alcohol dependence, conduct disorder, social phobia, and agoraphobia compared to youth with medical illness. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to youth with medical illness, gunshot-injured youth were 18.6 times (p = .0001) more likely to show symptoms of ASDS. Further research, developmentally appropriate assessment, prevention, and treatment are needed in this area.
Authors: Jonathan Purtle; Linda J Rich; John A Rich; Jazzmin Cooper; Erica J Harris; Theodore J Corbin Journal: Public Health Rep Date: 2015 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 2.792