The enduring mental health impact of the September 11th terrorist attacks: challenges and lessons learned

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2013 Sep;36(3):417-29. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2013.05.011.

Abstract

The authors review the existing literature on the mental health impact of the September 11th attacks and the implications for disaster mental health clinicians and policy makers. The authors discuss the demographic characteristics of those affected and the state of mental health needs and existing mental health delivery services; the nature of the disaster and primary impacts on lives, infrastructure, and socioeconomic factors; the acute aftermath in the days and weeks after the attacks; the persistent mental health impact and evolution of services of the postacute aftermath; and the implications for future disaster mental health practitioners and policy makers.

Keywords: Barriers to care; Crisis counseling; Disaster response; PTSD; World Trade Center.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Chronic Disease
  • Clinical Competence
  • Comorbidity
  • Crisis Intervention / methods
  • Disaster Planning / organization & administration
  • Disasters / statistics & numerical data*
  • Early Medical Intervention / methods*
  • Early Medical Intervention / organization & administration
  • Emergency Responders / education
  • Emergency Responders / psychology*
  • Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Services Needs and Demand / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • New York City / epidemiology
  • Policy Making
  • Risk Factors
  • September 11 Terrorist Attacks / psychology*
  • September 11 Terrorist Attacks / statistics & numerical data
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / prevention & control
  • Survivors / psychology
  • Time Factors
  • United States / epidemiology