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Associations between alcohol use and PTSD symptoms among American Red Cross disaster relief workers responding to the 9/11/2001 attacks.
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2005; 31(2):285-304.AJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

This study examined associations between alcohol use and PTSD symptoms among Red Cross workers who responded to the 9/11/2001 attacks.

METHOD

Participants were 779 Red Cross paid and volunteer staff that responded during the first three months to the September 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. Women made up 64% of the sample. The American Red Cross provided a mailing list of all paid and volunteer staff (N = 6055 with valid addresses) that participated in the disaster relief operations in response to the September 11, 2001, attacks. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of four questionnaire packets. The present study is based on the fourth group, which received the alcohol questionnaires.

RESULTS

Overall, traumatic stress symptoms and alcohol use were low. Hyperarousal and intrusion symptoms on the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) were associated with alcohol consumption, hazardous alcohol consumption, and change in alcohol consumption when controlling for age, gender, and worksite. Positive associations between Intrusion and Avoidance scores and hazardous consumption were stronger for younger participants. Individuals who reported increasing or decreasing alcohol use had higher IES-R scores than did those who maintained their normal rate of alcohol consumption, though effects were stronger for increasing alcohol use. Associations between alcohol variables and avoidance symptoms were minimal.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that there is a functional relation between posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol consumption. The study indicates that efforts to cope with traumatic stress symptoms may manifest in either increases or decreases in alcohol consumption.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Simons JS
Department of Psychology, The University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, USA. jsimons@usd.edu
Gaher RM
No affiliation info available
Jacobs GA
No affiliation info available
Meyer D
No affiliation info available
Johnson-Jimenez E
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Adaptation, PsychologicalAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAlcohol DrinkingDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental DisordersFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRed CrossRegression AnalysisRelief WorkSeptember 11 Terrorist AttacksStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited States

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Language

eng

PubMed ID

15912717

Citation

Simons, Jeffrey S., et al. "Associations Between Alcohol Use and PTSD Symptoms Among American Red Cross Disaster Relief Workers Responding to the 9/11/2001 Attacks." The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, vol. 31, no. 2, 2005, pp. 285-304.
Simons JS, Gaher RM, Jacobs GA, et al. Associations between alcohol use and PTSD symptoms among American Red Cross disaster relief workers responding to the 9/11/2001 attacks. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2005;31(2):285-304.
Simons, J. S., Gaher, R. M., Jacobs, G. A., Meyer, D., & Johnson-Jimenez, E. (2005). Associations between alcohol use and PTSD symptoms among American Red Cross disaster relief workers responding to the 9/11/2001 attacks. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 31(2), 285-304.
Simons JS, et al. Associations Between Alcohol Use and PTSD Symptoms Among American Red Cross Disaster Relief Workers Responding to the 9/11/2001 Attacks. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2005;31(2):285-304. PubMed PMID: 15912717.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Associations between alcohol use and PTSD symptoms among American Red Cross disaster relief workers responding to the 9/11/2001 attacks. AU - Simons,Jeffrey S, AU - Gaher,Raluca M, AU - Jacobs,Gerard A, AU - Meyer,David, AU - Johnson-Jimenez,Erika, PY - 2005/5/26/pubmed PY - 2005/9/2/medline PY - 2005/5/26/entrez SP - 285 EP - 304 JF - The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse JO - Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse VL - 31 IS - 2 N2 - OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations between alcohol use and PTSD symptoms among Red Cross workers who responded to the 9/11/2001 attacks. METHOD: Participants were 779 Red Cross paid and volunteer staff that responded during the first three months to the September 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. Women made up 64% of the sample. The American Red Cross provided a mailing list of all paid and volunteer staff (N = 6055 with valid addresses) that participated in the disaster relief operations in response to the September 11, 2001, attacks. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of four questionnaire packets. The present study is based on the fourth group, which received the alcohol questionnaires. RESULTS: Overall, traumatic stress symptoms and alcohol use were low. Hyperarousal and intrusion symptoms on the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) were associated with alcohol consumption, hazardous alcohol consumption, and change in alcohol consumption when controlling for age, gender, and worksite. Positive associations between Intrusion and Avoidance scores and hazardous consumption were stronger for younger participants. Individuals who reported increasing or decreasing alcohol use had higher IES-R scores than did those who maintained their normal rate of alcohol consumption, though effects were stronger for increasing alcohol use. Associations between alcohol variables and avoidance symptoms were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that there is a functional relation between posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol consumption. The study indicates that efforts to cope with traumatic stress symptoms may manifest in either increases or decreases in alcohol consumption. SN - 0095-2990 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/15912717/Associations_between_alcohol_use_and_PTSD_symptoms_among_American_Red_Cross_disaster_relief_workers_responding_to_the_9/11/2001_attacks_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -