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[Post traumatic stress disorder among assault victims]
Carmen Gloria Carbonell1, César Carvajal
1Servicio de Salud Mental, Hospital del Trabajador, Santiago. carmengcarbonell@yahoo.es
Revista Medica De Chile
|September 24, 2004
Summary
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in assault victims can be effectively treated. Two-thirds of patients experience favorable outcomes with timely diagnosis and intervention for urban violence trauma.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Trauma Studies
- Urban Health
Context:
- Increasing urban violence in Metropolitan Santiago.
- Assault victims are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD).
Purpose:
- To investigate the clinical and evolutionary characteristics of PTSD in assault victims.
- Compare PTSD patients caused by assault with those experiencing PTSD from other causes.
Summary:
- Retrospective review of 140 assault victims diagnosed with PTSD between 1987-2000.
- Patients received psychotherapy and psychotropic drugs, with a median treatment duration of 60 days.
- Assault victims with PTSD showed higher antidepressant use and more physical injuries compared to non-assault PTSD cases.
Impact:
- Timely diagnosis and treatment of assault-related PTSD lead to favorable outcomes in approximately two-thirds of cases.
- Highlights the need for accessible mental health services for victims of urban violence.