Psychiatrikē = Psychiatriki
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Comparative Study
[Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among patients in intensive care units].
Recent progress in medicine and technology has produced a significant increase in the survival rate of critically ill patients who have been treated in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Consequently, researchers have become increasingly interested in the relationship between critical illness and psychiatric consequences. The experience of critical illness has been often associated with Major Depression (MD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). ⋯ In this study 11.6% of the total sample (ICU: 17.6%, non-ICU group: 5.2%) was found to meet the criteria for both MD and PTSD. These results are in agreement with similar studies in the literature. Early recognition and treatment of MD and PTSD in critically ill patients could contribute to faster recovery and improved quality of life.