title: Short-Term Public Health Impact of the July 22, 2011, Terrorist Attacks in Norway: A Nationwide Register-Based Study.
abstract: To examine increases in several health outcomes after the July 22, 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway.
  
  
  
  Retrospective analysis of nationwide registers (n = 4,953,000) where incidences of schizophrenia/psychosis hospitalizations, suicides, acute myocardial infarctions, and preterm births after the terrorist attacks were compared with corresponding periods the previous 3 years.
  
  
  
  Compared with the same period the preceding 3 years, the observed number of hospitalizations from schizophrenia/psychosis was 14% higher during the first 4 weeks after the terrorist attack (incidence ratio [IR] = 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07-1.21). The corresponding IRs for the first 3 days and the first week were 1.26 (95% CI = 0.99-1.58) and 1.10 (95% CI = 0.96-1.24). The observed number of suicides was increased by 45% the first 4 weeks (IR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.12-1.86), 163% the first 3 days (IR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.15-5.20), and 105% the first week (IR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.14-3.42). For acute myocardial infarction, there was an increase of 5% the first 4 weeks. There were also more births the 4 weeks (IR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01-1.07, but this increase was not seen in preterm births of less than 37 weeks of gestation (IR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.83-1.04).
  
  
  
  We observed a general nationwide increase of health outcomes investigated in this study the first 4 weeks after the terrorist attacks. These results may contribute to the growing body of evidence on the adverse health outcomes that may accompany national stressors.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Public Health and General Practice (Strand, Vatten, Janszky), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of General Medicine and Primary Care (Strand, Mukamal), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Nutrition (Strand, Mukamal), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Obuda University (Halasz), Alba Regia Faculty, Szekesfehervar, Hungary; Vadaskert Child Psychiatry Hospital (Halasz), Budapest, Hungary; Department of Public Health Sciences (Janszky), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; and Center for Health Care Research (Janszky), St Olav Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Linn Beate
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mukamal
authors.forename: Jozsef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halasz
authors.forename: Lars J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Vatten
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janszky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D023481:Terrorism / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult