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Post-traumatic stress disorder after a submarine accident.
Patrice Baert1, Marion Trousselard, Patrick Clervoy
1BCRM Cherbourg, Ecole des Applications Militaires de l'Energie Atomique, Cherbourg-Octeville Cedex, France.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|June 28, 2011
Summary
Submarine accidents are rare but serious. A behavioral health assessment after a French submarine collision found most crew discussed the event, but few sought medical help, highlighting follow-up challenges.
Area of Science:
- Naval medicine
- Psychotraumatology
- Occupational health
Background:
- Submarine accidents, though infrequent, can lead to significant casualties.
- Limited research exists on behavioral health impacts specific to submarine incidents compared to surface vessel accidents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review historical submarine accidents.
- To report on a behavioral health assessment following a recent submarine collision.
Main Methods:
- A French nuclear submarine collision in 2007 prompted immediate psychiatric assessment of the crew.
- An anonymous follow-up survey using the Post-Traumatic Checklist Scale (PCLS) was administered 8 months post-accident.
Main Results:
- 48 of 50 male crew members completed the PCLS.
- Most crew (95.8%) discussed the accident, but only 3 consulted a doctor.
- The median PCLS score was 19, with 83.3% scoring below 29; one individual met PTSD criteria.
Conclusions:
- The study underscores the challenges in conducting effective behavioral health follow-up in submariners post-accident.
- It raises questions about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a potential occupational hazard for submariners.
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