Psychological impact of traumatic injuries: what the surgeon can do. Plast Reconstr Surg 2002 Jan;109(1):18-24
Date
01/12/2002Pubmed ID
11786786DOI
10.1097/00006534-200201000-00004Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0036144519 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 11 CitationsAbstract
In their treatment of accident and assault victims, plastic surgeons have unique opportunities to identify and refer patients with posttraumatic stress symptoms. This article describes brief assessments that surgeons or their clinic staff can use to evaluate traumatically injured adults and children for trauma-related psychological symptoms. An immediate postinjury evaluation (within 10 days of the trauma) consists of 11 questions to determine the presence of the following risk factors for posttrauma maladjustment: panic during or immediately after the trauma, reexperiencing symptoms, avoidance, sleep disturbance, injury from an assault, previous trauma and psychiatric history, and blaming someone else for the injury. The seven follow-up interview questions assess reexperiencing symptoms, avoidance, trauma-related phobias, depression, irritability, and increased substance use, all of which, if present, suggest psychological impairment. Questions recommended for the evaluation of younger children assess changes in play and recreational activity, sleep disturbance, night terror, aggression, irritability, avoidance, emergence of new fears, and loss of recently acquired developmental skills. The assessments require less than 2 minutes and are easily integrated into the hospital or clinic examinations of these patients.
Author List
Rusch MD, Gould LJ, Dzwierzynski WW, Larson DLAuthor
William W. Dzwierzynski MD Professor in the Plastic Surgery department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Child
Female
Humans
Male
Risk Factors
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Surgery, Plastic
Surveys and Questionnaires
Violence
Wounds and Injuries
