TY - JOUR PY - 2019// TI - Posttraumatic stress reactions of underground drivers after suicides by jumping to arriving trains; feasibility of an early stepped care outpatient intervention JO - Journal of trauma and dissociation A1 - Giupponi, Giancarlo A1 - Thoma, Heike A1 - Lamis, Dorian A1 - Forte, Alberto A1 - Pompili, Maurizio A1 - Kapfhammer, Hans-Peter SP - 1 EP - 16 VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - OBJECTIVE: Underground drivers face a considerable risk of running over suicide jumpers on the tracks during their career. These traumatic exposures may lead to major psychological sequelae.

METHODS: Within an outpatient setting, 50 drivers were consecutively enrolled in a prospective non-controlled trial. A low-intensity, stepped-care approach included: emergency care immediately after the critical accident, comprehensive assessment with a structured clinical interview using the following scales within three days: Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), Impact of Event Scale (IES), Screening for Somatoform Disorders (SOMS), and Cologne Trauma Inventory (KTI).

RESULTS: During a 2-year period, 50 subway drivers were exposed to 66 serious critical accidents (deaths: 39, severe injuries: 27). Rate of acute stress reactions was 48%; rate of acute stress disorders was 30%. Scores of IES and SOMS were significantly increased correspondingly. At 1-month follow-up, PTSD was diagnosed in 24 (ICD-10) and in 9 drivers (DSM-IV), respectively. Major depression (n = 15) and somatoform disorder (n = 10) were diagnosed as coexistent to PTSD. Acute stress reaction/acute stress disorder, IES- and SOMS-scores, and previous traumatic exposures during adulthood, but not during childhood, were significantly associated with the risk of PTSD. A majority of drivers (n = 43) succeeded in reaching complete symptomatic remission and returning to work again within a 6-month period. Seven drivers suffered from long-lasting posttraumatic symptoms causing severe social impairment.

CONCLUSIONS: A low-intensity, outpatient stepped-care approach may provide support to traumatized underground drivers in their process of posttraumatic remission and recovery.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1529-9732 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2019.1597810 ID - ref1 ER -