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Abstract
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Introduction: The prevalence of mental health disorders within 12 months post injury among trauma survivors is high. Yet, little research has reported the clinical feasibility of early psychological screening and treatment in ‘real world’ trauma settings. This project defines an innovative evidence-based model of psychological service provision embedded within the Statewide Trauma Service of Western Australia (WA).
Materials and methods: One hundred and seventy seven non head-injured trauma patients (24% female, mean age 39.6 years; mean ISS = 10) who were medically stable and able to communicate were screened within four weeks for mental health risk factors using standardized self-report measures of substance use, post traumatic stress, depressive, and pain symptoms. Measures were repeated at three months.
Results: Forty-five percent of patients were found to be at risk of developing clinically significant post trauma symptoms in the acute setting, with 35% and 17% of patients reporting clinically significant depressive and post traumatic stress symptoms respectively at three months. Over 90% of patients reported severe acute pain episodes, and 14% and 10% of patients reported pain-related interference and harmful substance use respectively at three months.
Discussion: These findings suggest a high prevalence of mental health symptoms among trauma patients, which would have been undetected and untreated without psychological screening procedures. A stepped model of care where high risk patients are provided with psychological treatment has been developed.
Conclusions: There is a critical need for further investigation of the effectiveness of early psychological screening and treatment embedded within acute trauma settings.
PTSD |