Prevalence and Sociodemographic Characteristics of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adult Trauma Patients in A Ugandan Referral Hospital

Abstract

Alexis D.B. Buunaaim, Patrick Sekimpi and Catherine Abbo

Background: Attempts to ensure total care of the trauma patient in order to reduce morbidity and mortality, has led to a drift of global concern towards the psychiatric sequelae of trauma patients. Psychiatric disorders following trauma are common with one of the commonest being post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are associated with poor functional and occupational outcomes. In African settings, there is scarcity of data regarding the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of PTSD in trauma patients.

Aim of Study: To determine the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of post- traumatic stress disorder in adult orthopaedic trauma patients seen in a referral hospital in Uganda.

Methods: This was a hospital based quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study of adult orthopaedic trauma patients at Mulago hospital. A structured questionnaire containing sociodemographic characteristics and module for PTSD diagnosis in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fourth Edition Text Revised (DSM-IV-TR) was administered to consenting patients who met the inclusion criteria by systematic random sampling. Data was entered in Epi Data software and exported to STATA 10.0 for descriptive bivariate analysis using Mantel Haenszel method.

Results: Two hundred and ninety-seven (297) patients were recruited into the study of which the period prevalence of PTSD in adult orthopaedic trauma patients seen at Mulago hospital was 17.85% (53/297). The Mean age was 37.06(±14.61) with majority of participants between the ages of 18 to 29years (37.04%).Males 66.33% (197/297) and females 33.67% (100/297). The educational level of majority of these participants was primary/secondary 74.07% (220/297). Most of the participants were self-employed 52.53% (156/297) and 80.81% (240/297) of participants had an income level of less than one million Ugandan shillings (397dollars) a year.

Conclusion: The 6-months prevalence of PTSD in adult orthopaedic trauma patients was 17.85%. Also, female sex, older age group over 40 years, divorced, widow/widower, government or private employment and a low-income level had a higher risk of PTSD following trauma. The need for a multi-disciplinary approach to the management of the trauma patient involving a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist will be very vital for a better outcome.

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