Clinical Research Directory

Evaluation of the Effect of an Emergency Department Information Video on the Risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 30 Days After an Emergency Visit.

Sponsor: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

Summary

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder characterized by the re-experiencing of distressing symptoms, avoidance of traumatic memories and physiological hyperarousal in people who have been exposed to a traumatic event. The consequences of PTSD are manifold: financial, quality of life, absenteeism, morbidity, and mortality. An emergency department visit can be a traumatic event and associated with anxiety. Studies have explored the prevalence and factors associated with the occurrence of PTSD among a selected population of patients admitted to the emergency department for either cardiological or traumatological reasons. The prevalence of PTSD at 1 month varied among these populations, from 12% to 25%. Several factors have been described that could be independently associated with an increased risk of developing PTSD: factors linked to the patient himself (basal state and severity of acute pathology) or to the patient pathway (care structure, care modalities, waiting time). Given the serious medical, psycho-social and economic consequences of PTSD, it is important to identify the risk factors that can be controlled during a patient's stay in the emergency department. In 2025, a general information procedure for patients and next of kin will be deployed in three emergency departments. The aim of this procedure is to improve the quality of the information provided to emergency patients, thereby enhancing the experience of patients and those accompanying them. It will consist of video support delivering standardized information to patients from the moment they arrive in the emergency department until they are discharged. These videos will describe the patient's journey through the emergency department. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of this information procedure on the risk of developing PTSD.

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