Citation

van der Velden PG, Kleber RJ, Koenen KC. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008; 94(1-3): 267-271.

Affiliation

Institute for Psychotrauma (IvP), Zaltbommel, The Netherlands. peter.vdvelden@ivp.nl

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.11.001

PMID

18093750

PMCID

PMC2759324

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Examining whether smoking is a risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among rescue workers affected by a disaster. METHODS: Ambulance personnel (N=66) participated in surveys 2-3 weeks (T1) and 18 months after a fireworks disaster (T2). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted with cigarette consumption at T1 as a predictor of PTSD symptoms at T2. Demographic characteristics, disaster experiences, peritraumatic dissociation, intrusions and avoidance, psychological distress and alcohol consumption assessed at T1 were included as covariates. RESULTS: Regression analyses showed that smoking at T1 independently predicted intrusions, avoidance, hostility, and depression symptoms at T2. Results were not affected by controlling for post-disaster critical incidents at work. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first prospective study among rescue workers demonstrating that smoking soon after a disaster predicts PTSD symptoms in the intermediate term. Findings substantiate results of previous studies indicating that smoking is a relevant risk factor. Future research on how changes in cigarettes consumption post-trauma affect risk of PTSD is required.

Language: en