Preburn psychiatric history affects posttrauma morbidity.
A sample of inpatient, burn-injured adults (N = 95) were assessed upon discharge, and 4 and 12 months later with a structured interview and DSM-III-R criteria. The prevalence of disorder in this sample was contrasted with published data on a representative national community-dwelling comparison group in the National Comorbidity Study. The prevalence of lifetime affective, alcohol, and substance use disorders was significantly higher, and lifetime anxiety disorders significantly lower, in the burn-injured sample. The 12-month postburn prevalences of alcohol, and substance use disorders were significantly greater in the burn-injured sample. The risk of postburn disorder was significantly greater for the subjects who had a preburn history of affective, alcohol, or substance use disorder. The risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was elevated in the subjects with a preburn affective disorder but not preburn anxiety disorder. Finally, postburn PTSD was associated with a greater length of stay, and greater preburn comorbidity predicted preburn employment status and tended to lengthen hospitalization.
Fauerbach
J A
JA
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Lawrence
J
J
Haythornthwaite
J
J
Richter
D
D
McGuire
M
M
Schmidt
C
C
Munster
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy