Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T21:12:51.211Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The ‘whiplash’ enigma: undetected psychological factors? A pilot study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

John D Sheehan ,
Ann Maguire ,
John P Ryan  and
Leo Vella
John D Sheehan
Affiliation:
York Clinic, Guy's Hospital, Borough High Street, London SEl 9RT, England (formerly Registrar at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland)
Leo Vella
Affiliation:
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Studies in general medicine and general practice have shown that psychological disorder is frequently undetected and that it may exacerbate the morbidity of physical conditions. The aim of this study was to detect possible psychological disorder in patients with soft tissue neck injury (STNI) attending a 660 bed teaching hospital in Dublin. Using the General Health Questionnaire-30, 100 STNI patients were compared with 100 consecutive other attenders at the Accident and Emergency Department. There was a significantly greater prevalence in the frequency and severity of psychological disorder in the STNI group, who also were more likely to have a history of depression.

Keywords

WhiplashSoft tissue neck injuryPsychological disorder
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , December 1994 , pp. 170 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.White, D. The compo culture. Business and Finance 1991; 27:14–9.Google Scholar
2.Porter, KM. Neck sprain after car accidents. BMJ 1989; 298:973–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Miller, H. Accident neurosis (two lectures). BMJ 1961; 1:919-925 and 992–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Gotten, N. Survey of one hundred cases of whiplash injury after settlement of litigation. J Am Med Assoc 1956; 162:865.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Mayou, R, Hawton, K. Psychiatric disorder in the general hospital. Br J Psychiatry 1986; 149:172–90.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Johnstone, A, Goldberg, DP. Psychiatric screening in general practice: a controlled trial. Lancet 1976; 1:605–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Goldberg, DP. The detection of psychiatric Illness by questionnaire. London: Oxford University Press, 1972.Google Scholar
8.Goldberg, DP. Identifying psychiatric illness among general medical patients. BMJ 1986; 291:161–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Goldberg, DP, Huxley, P. Mental illness in the community. London: Tavistock, 1980.Google Scholar
lO.Tarnopolsky, A, Hand, DJ, McLean, EK, et al.Validity and use of a screening questionnaire (GHQ) in the community. B J Psychiatry 1979; 134:508–15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ll.Newman, PK. Whiplash injury. BMJ 1990;301:395.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Gay, JR, Abbott, KH. Common whiplash injuries of the neck. J Am Med Assoc 1953; 152:1698.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed