Psychological Complications of Maxillofacial Trauma: Preliminary Findings From a Nigerian University Teaching Hospital
Purpose
This study sought to determine 1) the prevalence of psychological distress in a series of subjects who sustained maxillofacial injuries and 2) temporal changes in psychological functioning over 12 weeks compared with baseline values.
Patients and Methods
This was a prospective, repeated-measures design study of consecutively recruited subjects at a Nigerian university teaching hospital. A total of 51 subjects with facial injuries had repeated follow-up assessments (10 days, 6 to 8 weeks, and 10 to 12 weeks) after the trauma, using standard instruments.
Results
The General Health Questionnaire identified a high prevalence of psychological morbidity in the subjects (90%), with 41.2% and 11.8% scoring above threshold values on the hospital anxiety and depression scales, respectively. Five subjects satisfied the criteria on the Trauma Screening Questionnaire for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder during the follow-up period. Psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire caseness) remained at high levels during the 2 follow-up assessments.
Conclusions
The management of facial injuries should integrate a multidisciplinary approach that addresses the psychological needs of the patients in both the short term and the long term.
⁎Lecturer and Consultant, Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
†Reader and Consultant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
‡Senior Lecturer and Consultant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
§Senior Registrar, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Ugboko: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
ABSTRACT