title: Mental health service use among American Red Cross disaster workers responding to the September 11, 2001 U.S. terrorist attacks.
abstract: In this article, we explored 1) the extent of mental health (MH) service use by American Red Cross disaster relief workers, both before (lifetime) and 1 year after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and 2) demographic, disaster and MH variables predicting (1-year) post-September 11 MH service use in this population. A sample of 3015 Red Cross disaster workers was surveyed 1 year after the attacks, regarding demographic characteristics, MH service use before and since the attacks, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Findings revealed that while 13.5% used MH services before the attacks, 10.7% used services after. Variables increasing the likelihood of MH service use after the attacks included the following: no previous MH treatment, younger age, being divorced/widowed, and higher PTSD intrusion or hyperarousal symptoms. Findings support other recent research on MH service use after the September 11 attacks.
authors.affiliation: Disaster Mental Health Institute, University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark Street-SDU 114, Vermillion, SD 57069-2390, USA. jonelhai@fastmail.fm
authors.forename: Jon D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Elhai
authors.forename: Gerard A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Todd B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kashdan
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: DeJong
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: B Christopher
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Frueh
mesh_terms: D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012011:Red Cross; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology