title: PTSD, depression, prescription drug use, and health care utilization of Chinese workers affected by the WTC attacks.
abstract: This study assessed the impact of the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks on emotional problems, prescription drug usage, and utilization of medical and mental health services within the Chinese community in lower Manhattan. We administered a survey to 148 randomly selected Chinese workers affected by the WTC attacks in March 2003. Although nearly half of the respondents had elevated PTSD and/or elevated depression scores, only a few (4.4%) had talked to a counselor. However, nearly all (86%) reported having visited a physician at least once since September 11, 2001. Individuals with elevated PTSD scores were significantly more likely to have gone to a physician after 9/11. They were also more likely to have received prescription drugs and to indicate an interest in counseling after 9/11 than individuals with low PTSD scores. The findings highlight the role of the primary care physician as gatekeeper for mental health symptoms after a disaster. They further suggest that primary care physicians should use screening tools for depression and posttraumatic stress after a major disaster and that they should be sensitive to potential emotional problems that are associated with somatic complaints.
authors.affiliation: Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California, San Francisco, USA. thielh@obgyn.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Heike Thiel
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: de Bocanegra
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moskalenko
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D017132:Workplace