BOMB DOCTORS STILL SUFFERING FROM STRESS
Bomb' doctors still suffering from stress
By JOHN McCUSKER
Hospital staff suffering flashbacks according to study
A QUARTER of the doctors involved in treating the Omagh bomb victims are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a major study has
revealed.
Researchers at Northumbria University have found that medics attached to Tyrone County Hospital and the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen still experience recurrent flashbacks and tiredness.
And, according to the report, half of the doctors diagnosed with PTSD following the emergency procedure have not yet sought treatment.
The results of the study - which appear in this month's British Medical Journal - follow a questionnaire carried out by Sperrin Lakeland Trust just months after the August 1998 blast.
All 115 doctors employed by the Trust were sent questionnaires relating to PTSD, their involvement in the atrocity and any prior experiences of serious trauma. The medics were also asked whether they had received any help since the event.
Replies were received from 47 doctors, with 41 (31 men, 10 women) giving sufficiently completed answers for analysis.
Of these, 32 were involved in the bombing in a professional capacity, and one was involved in a civilian capacity only.
The report went on: "Eight of those involved professionally had scores above threshold for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Higher mean scores were found among those working at Tyrone County Hospital (8.1), rather than at the Erne Hospital (3.9).
"Junior doctors' mean scores (7.1) were higher than senior doctors' (5.1), but this difference was not significant.
"The highest mean scores were reported by those who had informed relatives of a person's death (14.5) and those who felt responsible for the care of an individual after death."
Nineteen doctors who had previously experienced frightening trauma events, showed significantly higher symptoms than the other doctors who replied to the survey, analysts found.
Among those involved in compiling the report were Jenny Firth-Cozens, professor of clinical psychology, Simon Midgley, senior research assistant and Clive Burges, consultant occupational health physician.
Analysing the results, those behind the report stated that estimates of PTSD in health workers after events such as Omagh were rare.
"The numbers in this study are small, but the warning for doctors is clear: a quarter of those professionally helping the victims of the Omagh bombing had post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Although this percentage has probably declined over the past few months, disorder present at three months after the trauma is seen as chronic.
"Recognising PTSD should be taught at medical school, not just so that doctors can identify the disorder in patients, but because some of them will suffer from it themselves, and it becomes increasingly hard to treat the longer it has been present.
"Despite the Trust providing considerable help for staff, half of those doctors with a clear diagnosis had not sought or received any help for their condition, which is in line with previous studies of doctors' help seeking for illness.
"In a review of PTSD in emergency staff, Bamber highlights the popular myth that professional helpers are somehow immune from the same stresses as those they are helping. They are perceived to be strong, resourceful, and in control.
"Because of such perceptions, professionals may feel unable to seek help when they need it, for fear of being seen as weak or a failure. Consequently, they are at risk of developing more severe and entrenched symptoms," the reports adds.
By JOHN McCUSKER
Hospital staff suffering flashbacks according to study
A QUARTER of the doctors involved in treating the Omagh bomb victims are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a major study has
revealed.
Researchers at Northumbria University have found that medics attached to Tyrone County Hospital and the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen still experience recurrent flashbacks and tiredness.
And, according to the report, half of the doctors diagnosed with PTSD following the emergency procedure have not yet sought treatment.
The results of the study - which appear in this month's British Medical Journal - follow a questionnaire carried out by Sperrin Lakeland Trust just months after the August 1998 blast.
All 115 doctors employed by the Trust were sent questionnaires relating to PTSD, their involvement in the atrocity and any prior experiences of serious trauma. The medics were also asked whether they had received any help since the event.
Replies were received from 47 doctors, with 41 (31 men, 10 women) giving sufficiently completed answers for analysis.
Of these, 32 were involved in the bombing in a professional capacity, and one was involved in a civilian capacity only.
The report went on: "Eight of those involved professionally had scores above threshold for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Higher mean scores were found among those working at Tyrone County Hospital (8.1), rather than at the Erne Hospital (3.9).
"Junior doctors' mean scores (7.1) were higher than senior doctors' (5.1), but this difference was not significant.
"The highest mean scores were reported by those who had informed relatives of a person's death (14.5) and those who felt responsible for the care of an individual after death."
Nineteen doctors who had previously experienced frightening trauma events, showed significantly higher symptoms than the other doctors who replied to the survey, analysts found.
Among those involved in compiling the report were Jenny Firth-Cozens, professor of clinical psychology, Simon Midgley, senior research assistant and Clive Burges, consultant occupational health physician.
Analysing the results, those behind the report stated that estimates of PTSD in health workers after events such as Omagh were rare.
"The numbers in this study are small, but the warning for doctors is clear: a quarter of those professionally helping the victims of the Omagh bombing had post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Although this percentage has probably declined over the past few months, disorder present at three months after the trauma is seen as chronic.
"Recognising PTSD should be taught at medical school, not just so that doctors can identify the disorder in patients, but because some of them will suffer from it themselves, and it becomes increasingly hard to treat the longer it has been present.
"Despite the Trust providing considerable help for staff, half of those doctors with a clear diagnosis had not sought or received any help for their condition, which is in line with previous studies of doctors' help seeking for illness.
"In a review of PTSD in emergency staff, Bamber highlights the popular myth that professional helpers are somehow immune from the same stresses as those they are helping. They are perceived to be strong, resourceful, and in control.
"Because of such perceptions, professionals may feel unable to seek help when they need it, for fear of being seen as weak or a failure. Consequently, they are at risk of developing more severe and entrenched symptoms," the reports adds.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0607
Published Date: 23-Dec-99
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