[Posttraumatic stress disorder (psychiatric injury) after road traffic accidents in forensic medicine: a primary study].
OBJECTIVE
Studying forensic medical problem related with RTA leading PTSD and supplying accumulating evidence for psychiatric compensation in court.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty six victims of RTA were recruited who applied to court for a costs order. The victims were examined for psychiatric diagnosis by psychiatrists and for rank of impairment by experts in forensic clinical medicine. The self-report psychopathological status and quality of life were also measured.


RESULTS
Eighty one victims of 156 (51.92%) fulfilled the criteria for PTSD (ICD-10). Morbidity difference in male and female were significant; The more serious extent of impairment is, the more PTSD'possibility is; The scores in World Health Organization Quality of Life were lower and in SAS and SDS were higher in PTSD group than in non-PTSD group. Acquirement of awarded costs could obviously prevent PTSD.


CONCLUSIONS
The higher PTSD incidence existed in the RTA victims who applied to court for a costs order, and acquirement of awarded costs could obviously prevent PTSD.
Chen
Guang-Hu
GH
Department of Technique, Shenyang City Intermedia People's Court, Shenyang 110013, China. guanghuachen@msn.com
Liu
Ji-Hu
JH
Zheng
Ji-Long
JL
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D035881:Compensation and Redress; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult