title: Posttraumatic stress disorder and its risk factors among adolescent survivors three years after an 8.0 magnitude earthquake in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serious and long-lasting psychiatric consequences can be found in children and adolescents following earthquake, including the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although researchers have been focused on PTSD recently, its prevalence and risk factors after a huge natural disaster are still unclear because of limited sample size. The purpose of this study is to explore the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adolescent survivors three years after the Wenchuan earthquake, describe PTSD symptoms, and to find out risk factors of PTSD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 4,604 adolescents from three middle schools which located in earthquake-stricken areas were recruited in this study. Instruments included the demographic questionnaire, questionnaire about earthquake exposure, the Social Support Appraisal Scale (SSA), the Posttraumatic stress disorder Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), and the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Disorders (SCID).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate of PTSD was 5.7% (frequency: n = 261), and the most commonly occurring symptoms of PTSD were distress at reminders (64.5%), difficulty concentration (59.1%), and being easily startled (58.6%). Loss of houses and property, being injured, deaths of family members, and witness of death are positive risk factors of PTSD, and physical exercise and social support are negative risk factors of PTSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Professional and effective interventions are needed to reduce the development of PTSD among adolescents after the Wenchuan earthquake, especially for these who lost their houses or property and lost their family members, witnessed death, and lacked of social support in the earthquake. Moreover, injured adolescents and adolescents who lacked of physical exercise also need intervention due to high risk.
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Thomas K S
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Jiping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guo Xue Xiang Street, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China. jiang_xiaolian@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaolian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D055866:Earthquakes; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*