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Background Crashes occur regularly throughout the world and can result in multiple fatalities and many injuries. Research into how survivors experience a crash is very limited. AimTo describe and analyse the nonphysical consequences of a multifatality bus crash in Sweden and the subsequent effect on the surviving passengers' lives. MethodThe participants were all (n=56) of the survivors of a major bus crash. The passengers were interviewed approximately one month after the bus crash. The interviews were analysed using a qualitative content analysis. ResultsPrior to the arrival of rescue personnel at the crash site, helpfulness emerged among the passengers. Further, the crash generated an impact on the surviving passengers' lives from a short-term perspective. The passengers displayed a diverse need for crisis support; informal support from family and friends was essential for the early healing process. Sleep difficulties and a change in travel routines were the most common consequences. Lastly, passengers sought closure in order to move on with their lives. ConclusionThe passengers' reactions to and behaviour following a crash offer an insight into the, relatively unexplored, interaction between people experiencing a major road traffic crash. It is necessary to have a flexible crisis support system, and the vital role of family support ought to be upgraded.

Aim: To explore the survivors' experiences after a major bus crash. Background: Survivors' experiences of emergency care after transportation related major incidents are relatively unexplored, with research involving survivors mainly focused on pathological aspects or effects of crisis support. Methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 54 out of 56 surviving passengers 5 years after a bus crash in Sweden. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Prehospital discomfort, lack of compassionate care, dissatisfaction with crisis support and satisfactory initial care and support are the categories. Lack of compassion in emergency departments was identified as a main finding. Lack of compassion caused distress among survivors and various needs for support were not met. Survivors' desire to be with their fellow survivors the day of the crash was not facilitated after arriving at emergency departments. Conclusions: Connectedness among survivors ought to be promoted upon arrival at emergency departments. There is a need for emergency department professionals to be sufficiently educated in compassionate care.

Rationale: There is a lack of long-term follow-up studies focused on injured and uninjured survivors’ experiences of the recovery process after major traffic crashes.

Aim/objective: To explore survivors’ experiences of long-term physical and psychological consequences and recovery five years after a major bus crash.

Methodological design and justification: A qualitative design was used to explore experiences in a 5-year follow-up study.

Research methods: Participants were 54 survivors of a bus crash with 56 survivors and six fatalities. Telephone interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis.

Results: The theme overarching the categories is “visible and existential marks in everyday life” and it represents the range of the crash’s influence in the survivors’ lives. The first category, “health consequences in daily life,” has four subcategories covering quick recovery, suffering in daily life, distress in traffic situations, and long-term pain. Described reasons for quick recovery among survivors were previous crisis experiences, traveling alone, being uninjured, and not being exposed to traumatic impressions. For the other survivors, being reminded of the crash caused disturbing reactions, such as sweating, anxiety, and flashbacks. Survivors avoided going by bus if they could. A group of the injured survivors were still suffering from limiting and painful injuries. The second category, “oneself and social connection,” has three subcategories that include self-awareness, impact on relationships, and connectedness. Survivors developed a stronger bond to their significant other or separated from their partner within the first couple of years. Friendships and a sense of connectedness among survivors were sources of long-lasting comfort and support.

Conclusion: There is a need for more information about disruptive long-lasting consequences, such as travel anxiety, and available treatments. Initially, health-promoting connectedness can be facilitated by treating survivors as a group of people who belong together, from the day of the crash and throughout the recovery process. 

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.