The need for acute hospitals to provide counselling following motor vehicle accidents

Abstract

This paper examines the need for a systematic way of detecting individuals likely toencounter moderate to severe psychological sequelae after being injured in a motorvehicle accident. It presents the findings of assessments of consecutive adult admissionsduring a six-month period to the Accident and Emergency Department of RoyalMelbourne Hospital, a major acute hospital in Melbourne, within two days of beinginjured in a motor vehicle accident. Seventy of the 250 subjects surveyed completedthe General Health Questionnaire 12 and the Impact of Event Scale questionnaire,with 77- per cent found likely to have had a psychiatric disorder. Seventy-four per centhad at least moderate levels of intrusion or avoidance phenomena. Forty-four per centhad severe levels of one or the other. Prevalence of these psychological sequelae wasgreater than that found in several recent studies on the effects of motor vehicleaccidents.A small number (11?15- per cent) sought or received professional counselling withinthe first three months. This group did not differ, according to levels of intrusion,avoidance, or scores on the GHQ 12, to subjects who did not seek or receive suchassistance. Results identify the necessity of investigating and implementing methodsof detecting and treating the many who apparently sustain significant psychologicalsequelae following injury in a motor vehicle accident.