Satomi Nakajima

Objectives: To assess both the incidence of new-onset psychiatric illness after involvement in a motor vehicle accident in Japan for comparison with Western data and the predictors of psychiatric morbidity and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) evaluated immediately after the accident. Design, Prospective cohort study of injured patients assessed immediately and 4-6 wks after involvement in a motor vehicle accident. Setting. Intensive care unit in a teaching hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Patients. Total of 100 consecutive patients with motor vehicle accident-related injuries (mean Injury Severity Score, 11.2; mean Glasgow Coma Scale, 14.5; age, 18-69 yrs) admitted to the intensive care unit. Patients with traumatic brain injury, suicidality, current psychiatric or neurologic illness, or cognitive impairment were excluded. Measurements. An extensive clinical interview and evaluation of vital signs, sociodemographic variables, previous traumatic events, family history of psychopathology, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Results: A total of 31 patients showed some form of new-onset psychiatric illness at the 4- to 1 follow-up. The majority of illnesses consisted of depression (major depression, n = 16; minor depression, n = 7) and PTSD (full PTSD, n = 8; partial PTSD, n 16). Other illnesses included alcohol dependence (n 3), obsessive-compulsive disorder (n = 2), agoraphobia (n = 2), and social phobia (n = 1). Both psychiatric morbidity and PTSD were predicted by a sense of life threat (odds ratio, 4.2 and 6.2, respectively), elevated heart rate (odds ratio, 1.6 and 1.7), and higher Impact of Event Scale-Revised intrusion subscale score (odds ratio, 1.1 and 1.1). Conclusion: This study showed that psychopathology and PTSD after a motor vehicle accident in Japan is common and that the incidence is within the range of that in Western countries. A combination of a sense of life threat, heart rate, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised intrusion subscale allowed for significant prediction of psychiatric morbidity and PTSD.

2004年10月23日に発生した新潟県中越地震では、全国から多くの精神保健医療チームが派遣され支援活動を行った。その活動の実態を把握するため、派遣されたチームを対象に2005年2月自記式のアンケート調査を行い、86チームから回答を得た。派遣チームの活動は、避難所や在宅被災者への巡回訪問が活動時間全体の約70%を占めていた。また震災後4週間未満に派遣されたチームでは、4週間以降のチームに比べ有意に派遣日数が長く(z=-2.3,p=0.02)、在宅精神疾患患者の診察・相談件数(z=-2.2,p=0.03)、処方箋数(z=-2.2,p=0.03)、他の医療からのコンサルテーション件数(z=-3.8,p<0.01)が多く、抗精神病薬(z=-2.1,p=0.03)および身体疾患治療薬(z=-2.4,p=0.02)の需要が高いなど時期によって活動内容に違いがあることが示された。被災地外部からの精神保健医療活動は、基本的にはアウトリーチ活動が中心であるが、被災後の時期に合わせた柔軟な対応を行うことが必要である。(著者抄録)