The psychological impact of September 11 terrorism on Australian inpatients

To investigate the psychological impact on Australian hospital patients of the media coverage of the September 11 (9/11) terrorist attack.

Thirty psychiatry and 26 matched medical and surgical inpatients were assessed.

Both reported and observed distress was common. Women reported significantly more distress than men. Individuals with psychiatric illness were significantly more varied in their attribution of cause for 9/11. Seven patients (29%) with pre-existing psychosis became delusional surrounding the events, but there were no significant differences between the psychiatry and the medical and surgical inpatients.

Clinical impressions were confirmed, namely, that a large proportion of hospital inpatients were adversely affected by TV footage of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Most vulnerable were those already with a mental disorder, particularly those with a pre-existing psychotic illness.