Gender differences in probable posttraumatic stress disorder among police responders to the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack

Am J Ind Med. 2010 Dec;53(12):1186-96. doi: 10.1002/ajim.20876.

Abstract

Background: Police responders to the 2001 World Trade Center (WTC) disaster were previously reported to have an increased prevalence of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: Four thousand seventeen police responders (3,435 men and 582 women) were interviewed 2-3 years after 9/11/01 as part of the World Trade Center Health Registry. Demographic, occupational, and event-specific risk factors were evaluated for probable PTSD, determined by DSM-IV criteria using the Posttraumatic Stress Checklist (PCL).

Results: Overall prevalence of probable PTSD was 8.3% (women: 13.9%; men: 7.4%, P < 0.001). Risk factors for both genders included 9/11-related injury and older age. For men, specific risk factors were: presence in WTC Towers on 9/11 and Hispanic ethnicity; and for women, witnessing horror and education less than a college degree.

Conclusions: Significantly higher prevalence of probable PTSD was found for female police responders. Although consistent with civilian populations, this finding contrasts with other studies of PTSD and WTC rescue and recovery workers, and police prior to 9/11.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / epidemiology
  • Anxiety / etiology
  • Checklist
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Depression / etiology
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • New York City / epidemiology
  • Occupational Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Occupational Diseases / etiology
  • Occupational Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Police / statistics & numerical data*
  • Prevalence
  • Psychometrics
  • Registries
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • September 11 Terrorist Attacks / psychology*
  • Sex Factors
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / etiology
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult