Post-traumatic stress disorder cases reported by UK occupational physicians 1996-2024
AI Summary
397 PTSD cases (1996-2024), 2% of OPRA conditions, 3% of mental health cases; mean age 40.9 years; 68% male; mean symptom duration 30.6 months.
Most affected occupations: police 20%, military 11%, general nurses 7%, social workers 5%, train drivers 5%; main traumas physical assault, military trauma, accidents, interpersonal conflict.
PTSD often comorbid with depression and anxiety; occupational physicians should facilitate access to mental health professionals, evidence-based psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.
Occup Med (Lond). 2026 May 21:kqag043. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqag043. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from trauma encountered in the workplace, may present to occupational physicians. We report on a prospective national voluntary surveillance system of incident cases by occupational physicians.
AIMS: To analyse data from the UK Occupational Physicians Reporting Activity (OPRA), collected over a 28-year period.
METHODS: We analysed OPRA data for cases of PTSD. Content analysis identified various types of psychiatric trauma across occupations.
RESULTS: There were 397 reports of PTSD as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) from 1996 to 2024. PTSD accounted for 2% of all OPRA reported conditions and 3% of all OPRA mental health cases. The mean age of reported PTSD cases was 40.9 years; 68% (n = 271) were male, in comparison to 42% of all mental health cases being male. The mean duration of PTSD symptoms before assessment was 30.6 months (SE = 3.1). PTSD was most frequently reported in police (20%), military personnel (11%), general nurses (7%), social workers (5%) and train driver/rail (5%). Content analysis revealed that the main traumas were physical assault (22%), military trauma (17%), physical incidents such as electrocution or explosion (10%), and non-violent interpersonal conflict (10%). PTSD was often comorbid with depression and anxiety.
CONCLUSIONS: Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in an array of specific exposures and jobs. It is reported more often in males than females. The most frequent professions were military, police and healthcare. Detecting PTSD through work is important. Occupational physicians should ensure people with PTSD have access to mental health professionals, evidence-based psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.
Epilepsy Behav. 2026 May 22;182:111117. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2026.111117. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAIMS: To evaluate whether improvements in depressive symptoms, epilepsy self-efficacy, and perceived stigma mediate the...
Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2026 May 21;28(3):25f04133. doi: 10.4088/PCC.25f04133.ABSTRACTThe Psychiatric Consultation Service at Massachusetts General Hospital sees medical and surgical inpatients with comorbid psychiatric...
Turk J Pediatr. 2026 Apr 30;68(2):179-189. doi: 10.24953/turkjpediatr.2026.7133.ABSTRACTGlobally, an estimated 12-13% of children experience sexual abuse, with prevalence rates of approximately 18% among girls and...
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Jun 2;123(22):e2611331123. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2611331123. Epub 2026 May 22.NO ABSTRACTPMID:42172242 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2611331123
PLoS One. 2026 May 22;21(5):e0349187. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0349187. eCollection 2026.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Despite its impact on nurses' well-being, hospital efficiency, and patients' quality of care, published studies on...
