[A simple survey of post-traumatic stress disorders among Bosnian war refugees in Norway].

150 Bosnian war refugees (100 men and 50 women) were followed for 12 months by means of a brief screening procedure to determine prevalence and course of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 88 men and 18 women had spent some time in Serbian concentration camps before arriving in Norway. A short check list for interview and a simple self-assessment questionnaire based on stressor and symptom criteria for post-traumatic stress disorders according to DSM-III-R were used three times. The number of persons with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder remained high throughout the period of observation. The presented diagnostic approach was compared with a comprehensive, standardized diagnostic test battery applied in a similar population of refugees by comparing the outcomes. For the majority of outcomes, no significant difference in prevalence was found. The experiences and results indicate that our approach is practicable, and can deliver diagnostic outcomes with acceptable validity.