 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Elaine Kitt, George Meany Center for Labor Studies-National Labor College, 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20903, 301-571-4226, lainiek46@aol.com
Are There Needs for a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Program after 9/11/01 for the Employees of the New York City Housing Authority Who Worked in the Building Adjacent to the World Trade Center?
Seventy-five employees of the New York City Housing Authority working in the buildings adjacent to the World Trade Center were surveyed nine months after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Completed survey responses were received from sixty-four subjects. Data Responses were empirically grouped into the following seven categories: Total Symptoms, Physical Symptoms, Depressive Symptoms, Avoidance Symptoms, Angry/Explosive Symptoms, Intrusive Thoughts, and Work Specific Symptoms.
The most striking findings in this study were that: 1) The response rate was extraordinarily high; 2) Women were more symptomatic than men were nine months after September 11, 2001; 3) People living with families were more symptomatic than those living alone; 4) Location at the time of the attack made little difference in reported symptoms.
There were no difference by job title, and few by ethnicity. Almost 80% of the respondents wanted some from of talking therapy; few wanted medication.
New York City Housing Authority employees working close to Ground Zero continue to suffer significant symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression nine months after the World Trade Center attack. There is little direct help available to these people at their workplace, where the majority of them wish some sort of psychological treatment.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.