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S23.03 - Symptoms of anxiety and depression predict report of whiplash trauma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

A. Mykletun ,
N. Glozier ,
M. Henderson ,
S. Overland ,
H.G. Wenzel ,
S. Wessely  and
M. Hotopf
A. Mykletun
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Research Centre for Health Promotion, Bergen, Norway Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Mental Health, Oslo, Norway
N. Glozier
Affiliation:
George Institute, Sydney, Australia
M. Henderson
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK
S. Overland
Affiliation:
University of Bergen, Research Centre for Health Promotion, Bergen, Norway
H.G. Wenzel
Affiliation:
Norwegian University of Technology and Science, Trondheim, Norway
S. Wessely
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK
M. Hotopf
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK

Abstract

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Background:

Previous cross sectional studies have reported increased anxiety and depression in individuals with whiplash trauma. The common interpretation is that the whiplash trauma increases the risk of developing mental disorders. The aim of the present study is to test an hypothesis on the opposite direction of causality, namely that symptoms of anxiety and depression increase the risk reporting whiplash trauma in the future.

Methods:

We used longitudinal data from two waves of a public health survey in Norway, conducted in 1984-86 and 1995-97, where 37 792 individuals participated in both waves (response rate at follow-up 68%). Mental health was screened for symptoms of anxiety and depression at baseline by self-report on 12 items (the Anxiety Depression Index-12). Self reported whiplash trauma was registered as a dichotomy at follow-up, and followed up with age at whiplash trauma in positive cases.

Results:

Whiplash trauma was reported by 956 individuals at follow-up, whereof 277 were reported to have occurred between baseline and follow-up. Symptoms of anxiety and depression increased the likelihood of self-report of whiplash trauma at follow-up (OR=1.24 per SD increase in mental symptom load, 95% confidence interval 1.10 – 1.40, p<.001), adjusted for age and gender. Whiplash was associated with increased disability pension award.

Discussion:

Our finding suggests that the increased level of psychopathology found in individuals with a history of whiplash trauma might partly be present already prior to the whiplash injury. This finding is contrary to the common conception of causality in the whiplash-mental health association.

Type
Symposium: Clinical and epidemiological perspectives of work-related disability in mental illness
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 23 , Issue S2: 16th AEP Congress - Abstract book - 16th AEP Congress , April 2008 , pp. S37 - S38
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2008
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