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Protracted acute stress reaction following an earthquake
Author(s) -
Bergiannaki J. D.,
Psarros C.,
Varsou E.,
Paparrigopoulos Th.,
Soldatos C. R.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2003.01467.x
Subject(s) - anxiety , psychosocial , generalized anxiety , medicine , psychology , psychiatry , demography , sociology
Objective: To verify the official criteria of ICD‐10 diagnosis of acute stress reaction (ASR) among earthquake victims. Method: Data on psychosocial variables and the diagnosis of ASR were collected from 91 subjects. Results: The diagnosis of ASR was made in 70% of the sample. However, the restrictive duration criterion (i.e. symptoms not exceeding the first 48 h) was fulfilled only in 10%; in the remaining 60% the symptoms lasted for about another week. Thus, 60% of the sample constituted a group with protracted ASR (PASR) and 40% a group without it (n‐PASR). Medical history was more frequent among PASR than n‐PASR; PASR showed higher anxiety levels (both pre‐ and post‐disaster) than n‐PASR; finally, the persistence of ASR related positively to the fear of death at the time of the earthquake and pre‐disaster anxiety levels. Conclusion: As in the vast majority of earthquake victims the ASR is protracted beyond 48 h, a revision of ICD‐10 guidelines should be considered.