title: Mental- and physical-health effects of acute exposure to media images of the September 11, 2001, attacks and the Iraq War.
abstract: Millions of people witnessed early, repeated television coverage of the September 11 (9/11), 2001, terrorist attacks and were subsequently exposed to graphic media images of the Iraq War. In the present study, we examined psychological- and physical-health impacts of exposure to these collective traumas. A U.S. national sample (N = 2,189) completed Web-based surveys 1 to 3 weeks after 9/11; a subsample (n = 1,322) also completed surveys at the initiation of the Iraq War. These surveys measured media exposure and acute stress responses. Posttraumatic stress symptoms related to 9/11 and physician-diagnosed health ailments were assessed annually for 3 years. Early 9/11- and Iraq War-related television exposure and frequency of exposure to war images predicted increased posttraumatic stress symptoms 2 to 3 years after 9/11. Exposure to 4 or more hr daily of early 9/11-related television and cumulative acute stress predicted increased incidence of health ailments 2 to 3 years later. These findings suggest that exposure to graphic media images may result in physical and psychological effects previously assumed to require direct trauma exposure.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine.
authors.forename: Roxane Cohen
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: E Alison
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.forename: Judith Pizarro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poulin
authors.forename: Daniel N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gil-Rivas
mesh_terms: D004834:Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013690:Television; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Iraq War; September 11; acute stress symptoms; media; physical health; posttraumatic stress symptoms; television; terrorism