L’Étude sur la santé des aînés au Québec montre que les femmes âgées de 65 ans et plus ont un risque deux fois plus élevé de dépression et de troubles anxieux que les hommes âgés. La littérature scientifique des 40 dernières années suggère que le stress quotidien et le soutien social sont associés à la présence de ces troubles mentaux dans la communauté. L’objectif de la présente étude est de vérifier l’effet médiateur du stress quotidien et du soutien social sur l’association entre le genre et la dépression et les troubles anxieux. L’échantillon était composé d’individus de 65 ans et plus vivant en résidence privée au Québec. Des analyses de régression logistiques ont été menées afin d’identifier l’effet médiateur du stress et du soutien social en contrôlant pour des variables démographiques, socioéconomiques et de santé potentiellement confondantes. Les résultats de ces analyses ne permettent pas de conclure que le stress quotidien et le soutien social sont des variables médiatrices dans la relation entre le genre et la dépression ou entre le genre et les troubles anxieux chez les aînés. Puisque ces variables n’expliquent pas les différences de genre observées dans les prévalences de ces troubles psychiatriques d’autres avenues devront être étudiées. / The "Étude sur la santé des aînés" shows that elderly women, aged 65 years old or older, have a risk of depression and anxiety disorders twice higher than elderly men. Scientific literature from the last 40 years suggests that chronic stress and social support are associated with the presence of these mental disorders in the community. The aim of this study was to verify the mediator effect of chronic stress and social support on the association between gender and depression or anxiety disorders. The sample was composed of participants of 65 years old or older living in the community in Quebec. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the mediator effect of chronic stress and social support while controlling for potentially confounding demographic, socioeconomic and health variables. Findings are inconclusive regarding the mediation effect of the chronic stress and social support on the association between gender and depression or between gender and anxiety disorders in the elderly population. Since those variables do not explain the observed gender differences in the prevalence of the studied psychiatric disorders, other investigation paths should be studied.

Le taux de prévalence des troubles anxieux est très élevé chez les adolescents avec un Trouble Envahissant du Développement Sans Déficience Intellectuelle (TED-SDI). Hypothèse : Les troubles anxieux sont liés à la reconnaissance des expressions faciales émotionnelles dans les TED-SDI. Objectifs : 1) Etudier les liens entre la présence de troubles anxieux et la reconnaissance des expressions faciales émotionnelles auprès d’adolescents avec TED-SDI, en comparant leurs performances de reconnaissance des expressions faciales émotionnelles selon qu’ils aient ou non des troubles anxieux. 2) Vérifier si ces liens sont spécifiques aux TED-SDI, en comparant les performances à un groupe contrôle anxieux sans TED. 3) Caractériser les troubles anxieux dans les TED-SDI. Méthode : Il s'agit d'une étude transversale, descriptive et comparative d'une population de 46 adolescents avec TED-SDI âgés de 11 à 18 ans dont 20 ont des troubles anxieux. Ces derniers ont été comparés à 20 sujets contrôle du même âge ayant des troubles anxieux sans TED. Résultats : Dans la population avec TED, des liens sont mis en évidence entre la présence de troubles anxieux et l'altération de la reconnaissance des expressions de Colère et Tristesse. Il existe une corrélation spécifique aux TED-SDI entre l'augmentation du niveau d’anxiété sociale et l'amélioration de la reconnaissance de la Peur. Conclusion : Cette étude confirme l’existence de liens entre les troubles anxieux et la reconnaissance des expressions faciales émotionnelles dans les TED-SDI. Des pistes de réflexion sur l’évaluation et le développement de nouvelles prises en charge des troubles anxieux dans cette population sont proposées. / Previous studies reported a high prevalence of anxiety in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) without intellectual disability. Hypothesis: There is an association between anxiety disorders and facial emotional expressionrecognition in this population. Objectives: 1) to explore the relationship between anxiety disorders and facial emotional expression recognition in adolescents with ASD without intellectual disability and in a control group of adolescents without ASD. 2) to examine the specificity of this relation to ASD in comparing their performance in facial emotion recognition to that of a control group with anxiety disorder without ASD. 3) to characterize anxiety disorders in ASD without intellectual disability.Methods: Our study is cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative. Forty-six adolescents with ASD without intellectual disability aged between 11 and 18 years participated in the study. Among them, 20 had an anxiety disorder and were compared with 20 controls of the same age, with anxiety disorder without ASD. Results: In adolescents with ASD, anxiety disorders were related to impairments in recognition of the emotions like Anger and Sadness. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between the level ofsocial anxiety and improvement in Fear recognition that was specific to ASD.Conclusion and future directions: This study supports the hypothesis that anxiety disorders are relatedto facial emotion recognition in adolescents with ASD without intellectual disability. Clinicalimplications concerning the assessment of anxiety comorbidities in this population and the lack ofadapted treatments are discussed.

Introdução: Indivíduos com infecção pelo vírus de Hepatite C (HCV) frequentemente apresentam uso de álcool, contudo, pacientes com consumo moderado ainda são pouco estudados, especialmente, sobre qual o impacto desse uso de álcool nos sintomas depressivos e ansiosos. Objetivos: Caracterização dos pacientes portadores de HCV e investigação do impacto do uso moderado de álcool na presença e intensidade dos sintomas de depressão e ansiedade nessa população. Métodos: Foram selecionados 109 indivíduos, portadores de HCV, provenientes dos ambulatórios de Hepatologia e Moléstias Infecciosas do Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP, que aguardavam o início do tratamento para HCV. Os pacientes foram submetidos à entrevista psiquiátrica, análise dos dados clínicolaboratoriais e elastografia hepática transitória não invasiva com FibroScan®; os sintomas depressivos e ansiosos foram avaliados por meio das escalas de BDI e BAI. Os participantes foram divididos em dois grupos, de acordo com o consumo de álcool, baseado em pontuação positiva na segunda questão do ASSIST (teste de triagem para o uso de álcool, tabaco e outras substâncias). O grupo com ASSIST positivo para uso de álcool foi comparado ao grupo com ASSIST negativo para uso de álcool, referente aos dados sociodemográficos, clínicos, sintomas depressivos e ansiosos. Resultados: Nessa amostra, 44% dos participantes encontravam-se na faixa etária a partir dos 60 anos, 59% eram do gênero masculino, 59% casados e 53% completaram o ensino fundamental I. Em relação às características relacionadas ao HCV: 82% apresentavam o genótipo tipo 1 e 61% apresentavam avaliação da fibrose hepática pelo FibroScan®, entre F3 e F4. Ao comparar os grupos com ASSIST positivo e negativo para uso de álcool, não foram observadas diferenças significativas nos dados sociodemográficos, clínicolaboratoriais, sintomas depressivos e ansiosos. Ao associar o uso moderado de álcool, bem como sintomas depressivos (BDI) e ansiosos (BAI), não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos. Conclusão: Nessa amostra, o uso moderado de álcool, em indivíduos portadores de HCV não submetidos ao tratamento com antivirais de ação direta, não foi associado à maior intensidade de sintomas depressivos e ansiosos / Background: Individuals with hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) frequently present alcohol use; however, patients with moderate alcohol consumption are still poorly studied, especially regarding the impact of this alcohol use on depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with HCV. Aims: Characterization of patients with HCV and investigation of the impact of moderate alcohol use on the presence and intensity of symptoms of depression and anxiety in this population. Methods: We selected 109 individuals with HCV from the Hepatology and Infectious Diseases clinics of the Hospital das Clinicas of FMUSP, who were waiting to start HCV treatment. Those patients were submitted to a psychiatric interview, analysis of clinical and laboratory data and non-invasive transient hepatic elastography with FibroScan®; depressive and anxiety symptoms were evaluated using the BDI and BAI scales. Participants were divided into two groups according to alcohol consumption based on a positive score on the second point of the ASSIST (screening test for alcohol, tobacco and other substances). The positive ASSIST group for alcohol use was compared to the negative ASSIST group for alcohol use, referring to socio-demographic, clinical data, and depression and anxiety symptoms. Results: In this sample, 44% of the participants were above 60 years old, 59% were males, 59% were married, and 53% completed elementary education I. In relation to HCV-related characteristics, 82% were type 1 genotype and 61% presented FibroScan® assessment of hepatic fibrosis between F3 and F4. When comparing the groups with positive and negative ASSIST for alcohol use, no significant differences were observed in sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory data or depression and anxiety symptoms. By associating moderate use of alcohol and depression (BDI) and anxiety (BAI) symptoms, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. Conclusion: In this sample, the moderate use of alcohol in HCV patients not submitted to treatment with direct-acting antivirals was not associated with a greater intensity of depression and anxiety symptoms

Este estudo teve por objetivo investigar a associação transtornos de ansiedade e depressão e do uso de medicamentos com o líquen plano oral (LPO). O grupo de estudo compreendeu pacientes com diagnóstico clínico e histopatológico de LPO, segundo critérios da Organização Mundial de Saúde (WHO, 1978), com ou sem envolvimento cutâneo ou de outras mucosas. Um grupo controle composto por indivíduos sem lesão de líquen plano cutâneo e/ou mucoso, com perfil semelhante ao dos pacientes com LPO em relação ao sexo, idade e cor, foi incluído. Para avaliação de transtornos de ansiedade e depressão foram aplicadas duas escalas de auto-avaliação, respectivamente, o Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado (IDATE-T) e a Escala de Rastreamento Populacional para Depressão - Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), ambas as escalas validadas internacionalmente. O uso diário de medicamentos foi analisado de acordo com os seguintes critérios: (1) classificação de medicamentos de acordo com o código ATC (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical - classificação pela OMS, versão 2007), (2) quantidade de medicamentos utilizados - monofarmacia: 1 medicamento, polifarmacia menor: 2 a 4 medicamentos, e polifarmacia maior: 5 ou mais medicamentos, e (3) uso de medicamentos com potencial de induzir reação liquenóide a drogas. Sessenta e três pacientes LPO (média de idade = 54,2 anos, relação mulher/homem 6:1) e 35 do grupo controle (média de idade = 53,3 anos, relação mulher/homem 4:1) compuseram a casuística de pacientes avaliados. Os resultados demonstraram que não houve diferenças estatisticamente significantes (P > 0,05) entre o grupo LPO e o grupo controle com relação aos transtornos de ansiedade e depressão e o uso de medicamentos. Em conclusão, transtornos de ansiedade e depressão e o uso de medicamentos parecem não constituir fatores diretos na etiopatogenia do LPO. Todavia, esses fatores devem ser considerados na avaliação geral do paciente LPO, principalmente em termos de tratamento da lesão oral. / This study was aimed at investigating the possible association of the anxiety and depression disorders and the use of drugs with the oral lichen planus (OLP). The study group included patients with clinical and histopathologic diagnosis of OLP, according World Health Organization criteria (WHO, 1978), with or without skin and others mucosal involvement. A control group composed of individuals without skin and/or mucosal lichen planus, with similar characteristics to the OLP patients in respect to the sex, age and skin color, was included. For evaluation of anxiety and depression disorders a two self-administered scale the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scales were applied, both internationally validated scales. The daily drug intake was analyzed according to the following criteria: (1) classification of drugs according the ATC code (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical - classification by OMS, 2007 version), (2) amount of drugs used - monopharmacy: 1 drug, minor polipharmacy: 2 a 4 drugs, e major polipharmacy: 5 or more drugs, and (3) use of drugs with potential to induce a lichenoid drug reaction. Sixty-three patients (mean age = 54.4 years, ratio female/male = 6:1) and 35 individuals of control group (mean age = 53.3 years, ratio female/male = 4:1) composed the sample of patients evaluated. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences (P> 0.05) between the OLP group and the control group with respect to anxiety and depression and the use of drugs. In conclusion, anxiety and depression disorders and the use of drugs seem to play no direct role in the etiopathogenesis of OLP. However, these factors should be considered for general evaluation of OLP patients, mainly for therapeutic purposes.

by Au Kit Ling. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaves 138-142. / Abstract / Acknowledgements / Chapter / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.16 / Chapter 3 --- Theoretical Perspective and Research Procedure --- p.38 / Chapter 4 --- Definition of Health Situation and Action Employed --- p.54 / Chapter 5 --- Managing the Label of Attending Psychiatric Out-patient Clinic --- p.96 / Chapter 6 --- Conclusion and Discussion --- p.118 / Bibliography --- p.138 / Appendix --- p.143

Com o advento da psiquiatria, a ansiedade, quando propicia prejuízo do bem estar físico, social e emocional do indivíduo, passou a ser categorizada por específicos tipos de transtornos de ansiedade e relacionados ao estresse/trauma. Modelos etiológicos atuais apontam que tais transtornos se desenvolvem, com maior facilidade, em indivíduos com histórico de traumas na primeira infância, sendo estes considerados fatores de risco importantes, bem como, se correlacionariam à presença e desenvolvimento de traços de personalidade do indivíduo e a um déficit de discriminação ambiental do mesmo, em especial quanto ao reconhecimento das expressões de emoções faciais. Assim, objetivou-se verificar as possíveis associações entre os traumas emocionais precoces (TEP), traços de personalidade e o reconhecimento de expressões de emoções faciais (REFE) em sujeitos diagnosticados com transtornos de ansiedade social (TAS), ansiedade generalizada (TAG), e estresse pós traumático (TEPT), utilizou-se como parâmetro um grupo controle com sujeitos saudáveis. Participaram deste estudo 120 sujeitos que foram alocados em quatro grupos distintos, de 30 participantes cada, sendo três clínicos (TAS, TAG, TEPT) e um não clínico (NC). Como instrumentos de coletas de dados foram utilizados: a) Escala do transtorno de ansiedade generalizada (GAD7); b) Inventário de fobia social (SPIN); c) Entrevista Clínica Estruturada para o DSM-IV (SCID-IV) - versão clínica; d) Formulário Sociodemográfico e Clínico; e) Early Trauma Inventory Self Report - Short Form (ETISR-SF); f) Questionário sobre a Saúde do Paciente-9 (PHQ-9); g) Escala de ansiedade de Beck (BAI); h) Teste Rápido de Identificação do Uso Abusivo de Álcool (FAST); i) Teste de Dependência de Nicotina de Fagerström (FTND); j) Inventário de Cinco Fatores NEO Revisado (NEO-FFI-R - versão reduzida); k)Tarefa de Reconhecimento de Expressões Faciais. A coleta de dados dos grupos clínicos ocorreu em duas etapas, sendo: a) fase de rastreio: identificação e confirmação diagnóstica dos possíveis participantes; b) fase de avaliação de desfecho: confirmados os diagnósticos, os participantes eram convidados para a coleta em si. Como resultados, verificou-se que o grupo TEPT possuía um maior número de TEP gerais e totais, em especial eventos de ocorrência abruta, enquanto que o grupo TAG apresentou significativamente mais TEP emocionais, sexuais e totais. Quanto às características de personalidade, verificaram-se que o fator de neuroticismo foi significativamente presente nos grupos clínicos. Sobre a tarefa de reconhecimentos faciais, verificouse que o grupo TEPT apresentou significativa acurácia reduzida para a emoção de nojo e surpresa, bem como para faces masculinas, além de um maior tempo de resposta para o julgamento da emoção de surpresa. Por fim, através de análise de regressão, verificou-se para o TEPT, associações expressivas entre presença de traços de neuroticismo e reduzida acurácia da emoção surpresa; para o TAG, ocorreram associações significativas entre a presença de TEP emocional e sexual e maior acurácia para emoção de nojo; e para o TAS destacou-se a associação com traço de personalidade neuroticismo. Desta forma, os achados corroboram os dados prévios da literatura, indo além e explorando especificidades entre os diferentes transtornos. Acredita-se que a identificação de tais correlações proporcionam uma compreensão de forma integrada favorecendo condutas terapêuticas e preventivas. / Anxiety, when it damages the individual\'s physical, social and emotional well-being, has been categorized by specific types of anxiety and stress disorders, as a result of the advent of psychiatry. Current etiologic models point out that such disorders develop easier in individuals with a history of early childhood traumas, which are considered as important risk factors, as well as, if they correlate with the presence and development of personality traits of the individual and to a deficits of environmental discrimination, especially regarding the recognition of expressions of facial emotions. The aim of this study was to verify possible associations between early emotional traumas (EET), personality traits and recognition of facial expressions (REFE) in individuals diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A control group was used as a parameter including healthy individuals. A total of 120 individuals were randomly assigned to four groups of 30 participants, three of whom were clinicians (SAD, GAD, PTSD) and one non-clinical (NC). The instruments used to collect data were: a) Scale of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD7); B) Social phobia inventory (SPIN); C) Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV) - clinical version; D) Sociodemographic and Clinical Form; E) Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report - Short Form (ETISR-SF); F) Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); G) Beck\'s Anxiety Scale (BAI); H) Rapid Alcohol Abuse Identification Test (FAST); I) Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test (FTND); J) Revised NEO Five Traits Inventory (NEO-FFI-R - reduced version); K) Facial Expression Recognition Task. The data collection of the clinical groups occurred in two stages: a) phase of screening: identification and diagnostic confirmation of the possible participants; b) phase of evaluation of outcomes: once the diagnosis was confirmed, the participants were invited to the data collection. The results showed that the PTSD group had a greater number of general and total EET, specially events of abrupt occurrence, whereas the GAD group showed significantly more emotional, sexual and total EET. Regarding personality traits, it was verified that the neuroticism trait was significantly present in the clinical groups. As the task of facial recognition, it was possible to verify that the PTSD group had a significantly reduced accuracy for the emotion of disgust and surprise, as well as for male faces, and a bigger response time for judgment of the surprise emotion. Finally, through regression analysis, there were significant associations between the presence of neuroticism traits and the low accuracy of the surprise emotion for PTSD; for TAG, there were noticeable associations between the presence of emotional and sexual EET and greater accuracy for the emotion of disgust; end for the SAD the association with personality trait neuroticism was highlighted. Thus, the findings of this research corroborate the previous literature data and also explore specificities between the different disorders. It can be assumed that the identification of such correlations can provide an integrated understanding, improving therapeutic and preventive behaviors.

Objetivo: Construir um programa de Exposição à Realidade Virtual para tratar Fobia Social, avaliá-lo e aperfeiçoá-lo por meio de uma análise quantitativa e qualitativa. Método: Finalizaram o tratamento 21 sujeitos (11 homens e 10 mulheres) entre 18 e 63 anos diagnosticados pelo Manual Diagnóstico Estatístico de Transtornos Mentais 4a edição- texto revisado (DSM -IV- TR) para fobia social. Foram excluídos os sujeitos com depressão grave, com risco de suicídio, transtornos psicóticos e abuso de substância. Principais medidas de avaliação quantitativa: Escala de Ansiedade Social de Liebowitz - LSAS; Escala de Impressão Clínica Global - CGI; Escala para Incapacitação de Sheehan; Escala de Adequação Social - EAS; e Questionário de Pensamentos Automáticos - ATQ 30. Avaliação qualitativa: Questionário Metodológico Qualitativo de Avaliação de Ansiedade Social. Procedimento: as Escalas e os Instrumentos foram aplicados no pré-tratamento, no pós-tratamento e no seguimento após seis meses de tratamento. O Questionário Metodológico Qualitativo de Avaliação de Ansiedade Social foi aplicado no pós-tratamento. O tratamento consistiu em até 12 sessões de 50 minutos cada de exposição à Realidade Virtual. Resultados: Observou-se redução significativa no escore pós-tratamento que se manteve no seguimento, nas escalas que avaliaram ansiedade, fobia e disfunções cognitivas (LSAS, ATQ e EAS). Na CGI, houve redução na gravidade da doença após o tratamento e isto se manteve no seguimento. Os pacientes apresentaram melhora do transtorno que também se manteve no período do seguimento. A Escala de Incapacitação de Sheehan mostrou melhora significativa da vida profissional, social e familiar. O número médio de sessões para a diminuição da ansiedade social foi de 7. Conclusão: O tratamento utilizado neste estudo teve boa aceitação, boa adesão, auxilia na diminuição da ansiedade social como também no enfrentamento das situações temidas. Estudos controlados ulteriores deverão ser realizados para verificar se ratificam estes resultados preliminares / Objectives: To build a Virtual Reality Exposure software for the treatment of Social Phobia, to evaluate and improve it based on quantitative and qualitative analysis. Method: The treatment was completed by 21 subjects (11 men and 10 women) aged between 18 and 63, diagnosed with social phobia by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition - revised text (DSM - IV-TR). Subjects were excluded on account of deep depression, suicide risk, psychotic disorders or substance abuse. The main measurement instruments for quantitative evaluation were: Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale - LSAS, Clinical Global Impression Scale - CGI, Sheehan Disability Scale, Social Adjustment Scale - SAS, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire - ATQ 30. Qualitative evaluation: Methodological Qualitative Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Social Anxiety. Procedure: The Scales and Instruments were applied in the pre-treatment and post-treatment phases and in the follow-up assessment six months after treatment. The Methodological Qualitative Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Social Anxiety was applied in the post-treatment phase. The treatment consisted of twelve 50-minute sessions of exposure to Virtual Reality. Results: A significant decrease in the score in scales that measure anxiety, phobia and cognitive dysfunctions (LSAS, ATQ and SAS) was observed after treatment and it was maintained on follow-up. Patients have shown improvement of the disorder that was also preserved on follow-up. The Sheehan Disability Scale has shown significant improvement in professional, social and family life. The average number of sessions to achieve a reduction of social anxiety was seven. Conclusion: The treatment used in this study has been well received; patients have shown adherence to it and it has helped them to reduce their social anxiety and deal with situations they feared. Further controlled trials should be undertaken to endorse these preliminary results

Disasters and major accidents are a significant cause of distress worldwide. High levels of posttraumatic stress can become chronic after severe and prolonged psychological trauma, raising concerns about the extent of adverse long-term consequences after single events. The present thesis aimed to describe the course and burden of posttraumatic stress in survivors from a ferry disaster in the Baltic Sea, an airliner crash-landing in Gottröra, Sweden, and a bus accident involving Swedish 6th grade schoolchildren in Måbødalen, Norway. The participants were surveyed 1 month to 4 years after the events and again after 14 to 20 years. The follow-up surveys included 33 ferry disaster survivors, 70 airline survivors, and 7 surviving schoolchildren with a comparison group from the same school (n = 33). Short- and long-term changes in posttraumatic stress were estimated separately in generalised regression models refined by linear splines. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 ferry survivors 15 years after the disaster, including structured clinical interviews and thematic analysis of survivors’ descriptions of consequences of the event and social support. Approximately half of all survivors experienced significant posttraumatic stress at the initial assessments. Significant long-term distress was noted in one fourth of the ferry survivors and one sixth of the airline survivors. The bus crash was not associated with significant long-term posttraumatic stress. A poorer long-term outcome was noted in women and in bereaved survivors. The thematic analysis revealed that long-term consequences not only included negative aspects but also positive ones, including personal growth and existential awareness. There was ample availability of social support, although the need for support extended over a period of several years. Barriers to support from significant others were described in detail by the survivors. The results extend previous research by providing a comprehensive account of long-term consequences of disasters and major accidents in light of early reactions. The interviews provide some new insights into features of social support that warrant further study. Important future challenges include evaluating whether timely attention to survivors at risk for chronic distress and significant others can facilitate recovery. / Allvarliga händelser som katastrofer eller stora olyckor kan leda till svår psykisk belastning på kort sikt. Svåra posttraumatiska stressreaktioner kan bli beständiga efter svår traumatisering som omsorgssvikt eller övergrepp. Det är därför angeläget att undersöka omfattningen av psykologiska konsekvenser efter enskilda händelser som katastrofer och stora olyckor. Denna avhandling syftade till att beskriva utvecklingen av posttraumatisk stress på lång sikt hos överlevande efter förlisningen av MS Estonia 1994, nödlandingen av ett passagerarflygplan i Gottröra 1991 och efter en olycka med en skolbuss medförande en skolklass från årskurs sex. De överlevande tillskickades enkäter 1 månad till 4 år efter händelsen, samt efter 14 till 20 år. Långtidsenkäterna besvarades av 33 överlevande från färjekatastrofen, 70 från flygolyckan samt 7 överlevande från bussolyckan och 33 personer från parallellklasserna. Intervjuer genomfördes med 22 överlevande 15 år efter färjekatastrofen. Ungefär hälften av alla överlevande upplevde betydande posttraumatiska stressreaktioner vid tidpunkten för den första enkäten. Frekventa stressreaktioner fanns kvar hos 27 % fjorton år efter färjekatastrofen, medan andelen var 16 % nitton år efter flygolyckan. Tjugo år efter bussolyckan upplevde de nu drygt trettioåriga svarande låga nivåer av posttraumatisk stress. Förlustdrabbade överlevande upplevde i genomsnitt en mindre återhämtning under det första året och hade också svårare reaktioner efter många år. Kvinnor upplevde i genomsnitt svårare reaktioner än män såväl på kort sikt som på lång sikt, medan återhämtningen inte skiljde sig åt mellan män och kvinnor. Konsekvenser på lång sikt innefattade enligt de överlevande negativa men också positiva aspekter som personlig mognad och existentiell medvetenhet. De flesta intervjuade hade upplevt gott om stöd från närstående, dock kunde ett visst behov av stöd kvarstå i flera år efter händelsen. Många berättade om hinder för att söka stöd, t.ex. att den närstående var känslomässigt belastad.  Avhandlingen utvidgar det som hittills varit känt om posttraumatisk stress hos överlevande efter katastrofer och stora olyckor. Intervjuerna pekar på viktiga aspekter av socialt stöd att utforska vidare. Resultaten visar att dessa händelser är förknippade med övergående stressreaktioner hos majoriteten av de överlevande. Vidare forskning behövs för att bättre förstå den naturliga återhämtningen och närmare vilka insatser till överlevande och anhöriga som kan underlätta återhämtning. / Long-term posttraumatic stress in survivors from disasters and major accidents

Der folgende Beitrag schildert erste Ergebnisse einer Evaluationsstudie des Fortbildungsprogramms «Patientenseminar Angst» für Ärzte. 109 Teilnehmer der Veranstaltung I und 104 Teilnehmer der Veranstaltung II wurden vor und im Anschluβ an die Veranstaltungen sowie 3 Monate später bezüglich ihrer Beurteilung des Fortbildungsprogramms sowie zu ihren Einstellungen, Erfahrungen und Kenntnissen zu Angstpatienten befragt und mit einer Kontrollgruppe verglichen. Es zeigte sich, daβ Angstpatienten in der Allgemeinarztpraxis viel Zeitaufwand beanspruchen und sowohl die diagnostischen als auch die therapeutischen Kenntnisse nicht zufriedenstellend sind. Das Fortbildungsprogramm wurde von den Teilnehmern sehr gut beurteilt. Durch die Teilnahme wurde in Teilgruppen eine Verbesserung vor allem der Kenntnisse im Bereich «Angststörungen erkennen/Diagnostik» erreicht. Das Patientenseminar wurde vom Groβteil der Teilnehmer sowohl in Gruppen als auch bei einzelnen Patienten in der Praxis durchgeführt. Es wird deutlich, daβ trotz des hohen Aufwandes eine groβe Akzeptanz für den Einsatz solcher Patienten-seminare vorhanden ist und daβ insgesamt die bisher untersuchten Variablen für eine überraschend hohe Effektivität der Fortbildungsmaβnahmen sprechen. / This artide describes preliminary results of an evaluation study of the patientseminar 'anxiety', an educational programme for physicians. Before and after the two seminar meetings, 109 participants of part land 104 participants of part II filled in a questionnaire about their opinion on the programme as weil as their attitudes, experience, and knowledge about anxiety patients. They were compared with a control group, which did not take part in the programme. It is found that anxiety patients call for a lot of attention at general practitioners' and that the physicians' diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge is not sufficient. The educational programme was highly rated by participants. The patientseminar was conducted, for the greater part of participants, by the physicians both in groups and for single patients. It became evident that in spite of high expenses there is a wide acceptance of such patientseminars and that the variables so far examined up to now indicate surprisingly high efficiency of the educational programme.

Although functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has gained increasing importance in investigating neural substrates of anxiety disorders, less is known about the stress eliciting properties of the scanner environment itself. The aim of the study was to investigate feasibility, self-reported distress and anxiety management strategies during an fMRI experiment in a comprehensive sample of patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia (PD/AG). Within the national research network PANIC-NET, n = 89 patients and n = 90 controls participated in a multicenter fMRI study. Subjects completed a retrospective questionnaire on self-reported distress, including a habituation profile and exploratory questions about helpful strategies. Drop-out rates and fMRI quality parameters were employed as markers of study feasibility. Different anxiety measures were used to identify patients particularly vulnerable to increased scanner anxiety and impaired data quality. Three (3.5%) patients terminated the session prematurely. While drop-out rates were comparable for patients and controls, data quality was moderately impaired in patients. Distress was significantly elevated in patients compared to controls; claustrophobic anxiety was furthermore associated with pronounced distress and lower fMRI data quality in patients. Patients reported helpful strategies, including motivational factors and cognitive coping strategies. The feasibility of large-scale fMRI studies on PD/AG patients could be proved. Study designs should nevertheless acknowledge that the MRI setting may enhance stress reactions. Future studies are needed to investigate the relationship between self-reported distress and fMRI data in patient groups that are subject to neuroimaging research.