Alexander D A, Wells A
Medical School, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Scotland.
Br J Psychiatry. 1991 Oct;159:547-55. doi: 10.1192/bjp.159.4.547.
This study reports the results of an unusual opportunity to follow up a group of police officers who were involved in body-handling duties following the Piper Alpha disaster, and for whom there were available data from pre-disaster assessments. In addition, after these duties, the officers were compared with a matched control group of officers who had not been involved in such work. The comparisons failed to demonstrate high levels of post-traumatic distress or psychiatric morbidity. The results are interpreted in terms of issues such as the officers' own coping strategies, and major organisational and managerial factors.
