Four Questions to Predict PTSD One Year After a Motor Vehicle Accident

Background: To create and evaluate an easy and brief validated tool for use by nurses to predict chronic PTSD 1 year after a motor vehicle accident. Methods: We performed a multicentre study including patients injured in a motor vehicle accident who were hospitalized in an Orthopaedic Trauma Unit. A nurse administered the DEPITAC questionnaire and the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI). PTSD was measured by the PTSD Check List of symptoms during the first year following the accident. Results: The median AUC to predict PTSD in the first year for the 10-item DEPITAC score across the 10 imputed datasets was 0.623 (0.605 to 0.633). We found that only 2 questions and 2 simple elements of the patient’s medical record (other injury or a person dying during the accident, perception of vital threat, number of children, length of stay in trauma) predicted PTSD 1 year after a motor vehicle accident (Se=91.9% (86.9 to 96.9), Sp=88.9% (83.8 to 94.1), AUC=0.674 (0.661 to 0.683)). Limitations: We were unable to collect complete data from 66 patients at 1 year. Conclusions: We propose 4 questions to teach nurses to screen for the risk of PTSD after a motor vehicle accident. These questions could help to identify patients who could benefit from early interventions to prevent PTSD.