Article

OBJECTIVES: To determine the profile of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
among outpatients with burn injuries referred to psychology in a rehabilitation
hospital, and the utility of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian
Version (PCL-C) as a screening measure for PTSD.
DESIGN: Retrospective
psychological chart review. SETTING: Outpatient burn clinic of a rehabilitation
hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Outpatients (N=132) with burns referred to psychology
between December 1999 and January 2010. INTERVENTIONS: Psychological evaluation
and self-report questionnaires measuring PTSD and depression. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth
Edition to assess clinical diagnosis of disorders, PCL-C to measure PTSD, and the
Beck Depression Inventory-II to measure depression. RESULTS: Of 132 outpatients,
127 (96%) had work-related injuries, 116 (88%) were men, and 16 (12%) were women.
Mean age +/- SD at injury was 39.0+/-11.1 years. Mean time from injury to
assessment was 15.7+/-42.7 months. Burn etiology included: electrical (46.2%),
scald (28.0%), flame (16.7%), chemical (5.3%), and contact (3.8%). Most patients
(75%) were diagnosed with PTSD, either clinical (39.4%) or subclinical (35.6%).
PTSD (clinical or subclinical) was frequently diagnosed in the following etiology
groups: scald (85.7%), flame (77.3%), and electrical (74.6%). There were
significant relationships between PTSD and depression (P<.001), and between
subclinical PTSD and adjustment disorder (P<.03). PCL-C mean scores +/- SD in the
clinical and subclinical PTSD groups were 59.7+/-8.9 and 43.5+/-15.6,
respectively. A PCL-C total score of 50 or higher had a sensitivity of 90% and
specificity of 79% for PTSD diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS:
There was a high prevalence
of PTSD (clinical or subclinical) among outpatients with burns referred to
psychology. Prospective screening of psychological symptoms, clinical assessment,
and intervention is warranted, especially for patients with work-related burn
injuries. Our results suggest that PCL-C is a useful screening measure for PTSD
in patients with burns.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS