title: The effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on HIV disease progression following hurricane Katrina.
abstract: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychological outcome of any disaster. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of PTSD on disease progression among HIV-infected persons in metropolitan New Orleans post-hurricane Katrina. One-year post-storm, a convenience sample of 145 HIV-infected patients who returned to care at the HIV Outpatient Program clinic in New Orleans were interviewed. Clinical factors pre and one and two years post-disaster were abstracted from medical records and compared by PTSD status. Of the 145 participants, 37.2% had PTSD. Those with PTSD were more likely than those without PTSD to have detectable plasma viral loads at both follow-up time points post-disaster and more likely to have CD4 cell counts <200/mm(3) two years post-disaster. They were also more likely to have had medication interruptions immediately post-disaster. Our findings corroborate the findings of others that PTSD accelerates HIV disease progression. Disaster planners should consider the special counseling and medication safeguards needs of HIV-infected persons.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Norine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Benight
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kissinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004190:Disasters; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055820:New Orleans; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult