Outcome in consecutive emergency department attenders following a road traffic accident

• Published in: British journal of psychiatry 2001-12, Vol.179 (6), p.528-534
• Main Authors: Mayou, Richard, Bryant, Bridget
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - psychology; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chronic Disease; Cohort analysis; Compensation; Cost of Illness; Emergency services; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health problems; Hospitals; Humans; Injuries; Injury Severity Score; Male; Mental Disorders - etiology; Middle Aged; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; Post traumatic stress disorder; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Psychiatry; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Road accidents; Road traffic; Self report; Teaching; Traffic accidents & safety; Trauma; Wounds and Injuries - psychology; Wounds and Injuries - rehabilitation
• ISSN: 0007-1250; 1472-1465
• DOI: 10.1192/bjp.179.6.528

Little is known about the consequences of road traffic accidents. To determine psychological and social outcome at 3 months and 1 year following a road traffic accident. A cohort study of a 1-year sample of consecutive attenders (n=1148) aged 17-69 years at the accident and emergency department of a teaching district general hospital (excluding major head injury). Data were extracted from medica notes and from self-report at baseline, 3 months and 1 year. Most (61%) injuries were physically minor. At 1 year 45% reported major physical problems and 32% reported psychiatric consequences. Non-injury variables were the principal predictors of outcome. Outcome across a range of variables is considerably worse than would be expected from the nature of the physical injuries. There is a need for changes in clinical care and socio-legal policy to prevent, identify and treat distressing and disabling chronic problems.