One third of 7/7 survivors had post traumatic stress

One third of 7/7 survivors had post traumatic stress: research
One third of people who were caught up in the 7/7 London bombings suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers have said.

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
Published: 7:25AM GMT 09 Mar 2010

However, only four per cent of them were referred by their GP for specialist treatment, it has been found.

A study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, conducted in the aftermath of the 2005 bombings traced survivors of the attacks, which killed 52 and injured 700.


They found that many more people required treatment than had been offered it and the researchers from University College London recommended that in future disasters those exposed to atrocities are proactively traced.

Professor Chris Brewin, lead author of the study at UCL Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, said: "If this programme hadn't existed then there would be hundreds of people still suffering from post-traumatic stress or other psychological problems as a result of the 2005 terrorist attack. This intervention is really a new way of identifying traumatised people."

Survivors were identified from police statements and witness reports, hospital records and treatment notes taken at the scenes.
read more here
One third of 7 7 survivors had post traumatic stress