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Medical student involvement in a major disaster
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Sheffield, UK.
Medical Education
|March 1, 1992
Summary
A study on medical students after the Hillsborough disaster found that one in eight experienced high involvement and distress. Few sought psychological support, highlighting a need for better mental health resources in medical schools.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Medical Education
- Disaster Psychology
Background:
- The Hillsborough disaster resulted in 95 spectator deaths.
- The psychological impact on medical students requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the level of involvement and psychological distress among senior clinical students at Sheffield Medical School following the Hillsborough disaster.
- To explore the utilization of psychological support services by affected students.
Main Methods:
- Survey administered 5-6 months post-disaster to senior clinical students.
- Utilized the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Impact of Events Scale (IES) to measure distress.
Main Results:
- Approximately 12.5% of students reported a high level of involvement with the disaster.
- Students with high involvement exhibited significantly higher distress scores on both GHQ and IES.
- A small minority of students accessed psychological debriefing or counseling.
Conclusions:
- A notable proportion of medical students experienced significant psychological distress related to the Hillsborough disaster.
- Stigma associated with professional help-seeking may deter students from accessing support.
- Medical schools need to improve mental health training and support systems for students exposed to traumatic events.