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Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 3/2021

01-04-2021 | Acute Stress Disorder | Original Article

Does acute stress disorder predict posttraumatic stress disorder following workplace violence? A prospective study of psychiatric staff

Authors: Sara Al Ali, Jesper Pihl-Thingvad, Ask Elklit

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 3/2021

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Abstract

Objectives

Psychiatric staff is at risk of workplace violence (WV) and subsequent posttraumatic symptomatology. The current study assesses the prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in psychiatric staff following WV. This also examines the prospective association between ASD and PTSD.

Methods

This is a prospective cohort study of staff from 18 psychiatric wards in Denmark (n = 250), that reported an incident of workplace violence.

Results

The prevalence of ASD was 10.8%, while 8% had PTSD 3 months post-assault. Generalized linear mixed models showed a significant predictive power of ASD on PTSD (OR 8.45, p < 0.001) in the fully adjusted model.

Conclusions

ASD seems to be a predictor of future PTSD in an occupational context and should be considered a possible instrument in enactment of preventive strategies.
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Metadata
Title
Does acute stress disorder predict posttraumatic stress disorder following workplace violence? A prospective study of psychiatric staff
Authors
Sara Al Ali
Jesper Pihl-Thingvad
Ask Elklit
Publication date
01-04-2021
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 3/2021
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01586-7

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