title: Posttraumatic stress disorder: a primer for trauma surgeons.
abstract: In 1980, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) officially became classified as an anxiety disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edition. Since then, there has been increasing recognition that PTSD is a prevalent disorder that may have significant impact on the quality of life for survivors of traumatic events. More recently, methodologically sound research has begun to provide important insight into this disorder. The following review serves to provide the trauma surgeons information on PTSD in terms of its diagnosis, prevalence, risk factors, treatment strategies, and outcomes, with the goal of minimizing the sequelae of PTSD and maximizing postinjury quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma/Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA. kbrasel@mcw.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Terri A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: deRoon-Cassini
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Brasel
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D014194:Traumatology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078329:Workforce; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery