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Exploring Injury Panorama, Consequences, and Recovery among Bus Crash Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Research Study
Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Surgery. Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing. Umeå University, Arctic Research Centre at Umeå University.
Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Surgery.
Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing. Umeå University, Arctic Research Centre at Umeå University.
2017 (English)In: Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, ISSN 1049-023X, E-ISSN 1945-1938, Vol. 32, no 2, p. 165-174Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Objective The aim of this study was to explore physical and mental consequences and injury mechanisms among bus crash survivors to identify aspects that influence recovery. Methods The study participants were the total population of survivors (N=56) from a bus crash in Sweden. The study had a mixed-methods design that provided quantitative and qualitative data on injuries, mental well-being, and experiences. Results from descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analysis were interpreted and integrated in a mixed-methods analysis. Results Among the survivors, 11 passengers (20%) sustained moderate to severe injuries, and the remaining 45 (80%) had minor or no physical injuries. Two-thirds of the survivors screened for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk were assessed, during the period of one to three months after the bus crash, as not being at-risk, and the remaining one-third were at-risk. The thematic analysis resulted in themes covering the consequences and varying aspects that affected the survivors' recoveries. The integrated findings are in the form of four core cases of survivors who represent a combination of characteristics: injury severity, mental well-being, social context, and other aspects hindering and facilitating recovery. Core case Avery represents a survivor who had minor or no injuries and who demonstrated a successful mental recovery. Core case Blair represents a survivor with moderate to severe injuries who experienced a successful mental recovery. Core case Casey represents a survivor who sustained minor injuries or no injuries in the crash but who was at-risk of developing PTSD. Core case Daryl represents a survivor who was at-risk of developing PTSD and who also sustained moderate to severe injuries in the crash. Conclusion The present study provides a multi-faceted understanding of mass-casualty incident (MCI) survivors (ie, having minor injuries does not always correspond to minimal risk for PTSD and moderate to severe injuries do not always correspond to increased risk for PTSD). Injury mitigation measures (eg, safer roadside material and anti-lacerative windows) would reduce the consequences of bus crashes. A well-educated rescue team and a compassionate and competent social environment will facilitate recovery.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS , 2017. Vol. 32, no 2, p. 165-174
Keywords [en]
Emergency Medical Services, injuries, mass-casualty incident, survivors
National Category
Other Medical Sciences not elsewhere specified Nursing
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-134251DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X16001485ISI: 000398228600007PubMedID: 28132665Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85010936434OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-134251DiVA, id: diva2:1098059
Available from: 2017-05-23 Created: 2017-05-23 Last updated: 2023-03-24Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Surviving a major bus crash: experiences from the crash and five years after
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Surviving a major bus crash: experiences from the crash and five years after
2017 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Background Major road traffic crashes (RTCs) can have a significant impact on the survivors, their family, and their friends, as well as on emergency personnel, volunteers, and others involved. However, survivors’ perspectives are rare or missing in research on major RTCs in Sweden. A comprehensive understanding of the survivors and their experiences is also lacking. By studying what it is like to survive a major RTC, the care and support provided to survivors can be adapted and improved.

The overall aim is to broaden the understanding of the short- and long-term consequences and experiences of surviving a major bus crash.

Methods The contexts are two bus crashes that occurred in Sweden, in February 2007 and December 2014. In total, the participants are 110 out of the 112 survivors, and the data is collected through telephone interviews, official reports, and medical records at one month, three months, and five years after the crashes. Analysis methods include qualitative content analysis, descriptive statistics, thematic analysis, and mixed methods research analysis.

Results One month after the crash, most of the survivors were experiencing minor or major physical and/or psychological stress in their everyday lives (Study I). Four main findings were identified regarding their experiences of immediate care (Study II): prehospital discomfort, lack of compassionate care, dissatisfaction with crisis support, and satisfactory initial care and support. The importance of compassion and being close to others was also highlighted. Five years after the bus crash in Rasbo (Study III), survivors were still struggling with physical injuries and mental problems. Other long-term consequences were a lasting sense of connectedness among fellow passengers, a gratitude for life, as well as feelings of distress in traffic, especially in regard to buses. The main findings from study IV indicated that injury severity did not seem to affect mental health, and that social aspects were important to the recovery process. There was an interconnection among survivors in which they seemed to be linked to each other’s recovery.

Conclusion A strong need for short- and long-term social and psychological support in terms of compassion and community is evident in all the studies. The survivors ought to be acknowledged as capable and having the resources to contribute to their own and their fellow survivors’ recovery and health. There is a need for greater understanding of how different the survivors are, with each one of them having various physical, psychological, social, and existential needs. 

Abstract [sv]

Bakgrund Stora trafikskadehändelser kan ha en betydande inverkan på de överlevande och deras närståendes liv, likaså på sjukvårdspersonal, vittnen, och andra som är involverade. Trots detta så är de överlevandes perspektiv sällsynta eller saknas i forskning om stora trafikskadehändelser i Sverige. Det saknas även en helhetsförståelse av överlevande och deras erfarenheter. Genom att studera hur det är att överleva en busskrasch kan omhändertagande och stöd anpassas och förbättras.

Det övergripande syftet är att öka förståelsen av kort- och långsiktiga konsekvenser och erfarenheter av att överleva en stor busskrasch.

Metod Kontexten är två busskrascher som inträffade i februari 2007 och december 2014 i Sverige. Antal deltagare är 110 av 112 överlevande och data samlades in en månad, tre månader och fem år efter krascherna, via telefonintervjuer, officiella rapporter och medicinska journaler. Analysmetoder inkluderar kvalitativ innehållsanalys, deskriptiv statistik, tematisk analys och mixad metod.

Resultat En månad efter kraschen upplevde överlevande fysiskt obehag och/eller psykisk stress i varierande grad i sin vardag (Studie I). Gällande upplevelser av det initiala omhändertagandet (Studie II) identifierades fyra huvudresultat; obehag på skadeplats, brister i omhändertagande och bemötande, missnöje med krisstöd, och tillfredsställande initialt omhändertagande och stöd. Betydelsen av empati och medkänsla från personal och frivilliga samt samhörighet med medpassagerare lyftes fram av de överlevande. Fem år efter busskraschen i Rasbo (Studie III) fanns det överlevande som fortfarande kämpade med fysiska skador och psykiska problem. Andra tydliga långsiktiga konsekvenser var en bestående gemenskap mellan medpassagerare, en tacksamhet över livet, samt oro och rädsla i trafiken, speciellt vid bussåkande. Uppföljningen efter busskraschen i Tranemo (Studie IV) indikerade att sociala aspekter var betydelsefulla för återhämtningsprocessen hos överlevande och att skadornas svårighetsgrad inte var betydande för det psykiska välbefinnandet. En stark samhörighet upplevdes bland de närstående som reste tillsammans och de verkade följa varandras återhämtning.

Slutsatser Ett starkt behov av kort- och långsiktigt socialt och psykologiskt stöd i form av gemenskap och empati är tydligt i samtliga studier. De överlevande bör uppmärksammas som aktörer med kapacitet och resurser till att bidra till sin egen och medpassagerares återhämtning och hälsa. Det behövs en ökad förståelse för hur olika de överlevande är, med varierande fysiska, psykologiska, sociala, och existentiella behov. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Umeå: Umeå universitet, 2017. p. 67
Series
Umeå University medical dissertations, ISSN 0346-6612 ; 1915
Keywords
bus crash, major road traffic crash, survivors, injuries, consequences, experiences, recovery, social support, emergency care, compassionate care, long-term recovery
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-140198 (URN)978-91-7601-763-0 (ISBN)
Public defence
2017-10-27, Hörsal B, 9 tr, Norrlands universitetssjukhus, Umeå, 13:00 (Swedish)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2017-10-06 Created: 2017-10-03 Last updated: 2018-06-09Bibliographically approved

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Doohan, IsabelleBjörnstig, UlfSaveman, Britt-Inger

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