The Long-Term Psychiatric Consequences of Accidental Injury

One hundred and seven accidentally injured adults were studied while in hospital and assessed prospectively twice more in a mean period of 28 months. The patients were studied by means of taped clinical interviews, including the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (which includes the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale), and several self-report measures of distress (Schedule of Recent Life Events, General Health Questionnaire, Impact of Event Scale and State Anxiety Inventory) at the three assessments. The total incidence of psychiatric disorders considered to be caused by the accident during the follow-up period was 22.4%. The incidence of non-organic psychiatric disorders caused by the accident was 16.8% at the first follow-up and 9.3% at the final follow-up. Depressive disorders of different severity were most often seen. Only one patient suffered from a post-traumatic stress disorder during the follow-up, and none at the final follow-up (DSM-III). Organic mental disorders were diagnosed in 9.3% of the patients. In 5.6% of the patients this was the only disorder.