Posttraumatic Stress Disorder After a Car Accident in the Czech Population: Prevalence and Risk Factors For Its Development

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to reveal risk factors for its development in a population of people affected by a traffic accident. This has not been the subject of any research study in the Czech Republic so far. Systematic investigation of the psychological impact of traffic accidents is a key condition in the system of their effective prevention and psychological care for road accident participants. The experience of a serious traffic accident can lead to a disturbance of psychological integrity in many people, and some of those involved in traffic accidents subsequently develop mental disorders that have a major impact on their future lives and, in a broader context, on society. Each person responds to a traumatic event in a different way and several situational and individual factors come into play. The online panel questionnaire survey on the prevalence of post-accident phenomena in the Czech population 18+, which was conducted using the CAWI method, involved 2319 respondents who had been involved in or witnessed a traffic accident investigated by the Czech Police in the last ten years. Symptoms of PTSD were identified in 23-30% of the sample. The linear regression model showed the following factors to be statistically significant: Gender, Education, Partnership satisfaction, Stressors one year around CA, Support of the significant others, Dissociation (Intense fear of healing oneself or others, Confusion and difficulty orienting oneself in time and space, Experiencing the situation as unrealistic), Subjective perception of CA as a burdensome life event, Persistent economic impact of CA, Avoidance of driving. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the overall impact of traffic accidents in the context of the Czech Republic. Systematic investigation of the psychological impact of traffic accidents is a key condition in the system of their effective prevention and psychological care of the affected persons.