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Injured teens can get depression
17/07/2008 12:08 - (SA)
New York - After a serious injury, some
teenagers suffer from depression and anxiety that can
eventually interfere with their daily lives, researchers have
found.
The study, which followed more than 100 teenagers
hospitalised for an injury, found that in the days to weeks
after the injury, 42% had high levels of post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and 19% were suffering
from depression.
Moreover, over the next year, these teens were more likely
than others to develop "functional impairments" -- including
pain and other physical symptoms, as well as problems with
schoolwork or social life.
Dr Douglas F Zatzick and colleagues at the University of
Washington in Seattle report the findings in the journal
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
The study involved 108 12- to 18-year-olds who were
hospitalised for an injury at the university's trauma centre
over the course of one year.
In the days to weeks following the
injury, the teenagers were screened for depression and PTSD -
an anxiety disorder marked by symptoms such as bad dreams or
flashbacks related to a traumatic experience.
Functional impairments
The teens also completed a standard questionnaire about
their quality of life and any functional impairments present
before the injury. They repeated the same survey at several
points over the next year.
The questionnaire asked about physical limitations - such
as whether the teens had problems with walking a few blocks or
climbing stairs - as well as self-esteem, and ability to do
schoolwork or other usual activities.
The researchers found that patients with early symptoms of
PTSD or depression were more likely to show "enduring
functional impairment," Zatzick told Reuters Health.
The
findings, he and his colleagues note, add to the growing body
of evidence that both depression and anxiety take a toll on
adults' and teenagers' day-to-day functioning.
Zatzick said that future studies could look at the
effectiveness of routinely screening injured teenagers for
depression and PTSD - and whether treating the disorders helps
prevent functional impairments in the long run.
Source: Archives of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, July
2008.
- Reuters
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