RESUMEN
Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common neurological disorder. Cognitive impairment is a result of TBI, and executive function is impaired in various degree of injury. Few data are available for assessment of executive dysfunction in Thai patients. Objective: Examine prevalence and factors influencing executive dysfunction among mild TBI patients in Thailand. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to determine the prevalence of 60 mild TBI patients. The patients were selected from those who were admitted at Khon Kaen Hospital between September and December 2009. Patients with previously major psychiatric or neurological disorders and currently confused or depressed were excluded. The executive function was measured by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the data was analyzed statistically. Results: Prevalence of executive dysfunction among the patients was 21.7%. Primary education level and low monthly salary were two factors to be associated with dysfunction. Alcohol use was associated with WCST score, but not with the dysfunction. However, severity of injury had no significant association with both the dysfunction and WCST score. Conclusion: Executive dysfunction in mild TBI patients was high (21.7% prevalent in Northeastern Thailand). Primary education level and low monthly salary were associated with dysfunction.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The natural disaster known as "the Tsunami" occurred in the Andaman sea coast of Thailand in December 2004, and there had been questions whether it could cause PTSD amongst the population who lives in the affected area and how to avoid PTSD condition to occur. OBJECTIVE: Establish statistical results of psychosocial factors, and their correlation to PTSD and other mental disorders to generate the PTSD database. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional community surveys from 3,133 samples had been conducted in two phases from the same sampling group. The first phase was concerned with prevalence of PTSD, depression, and related factors. The second phase included 2,573 samples from the first phase and focused on chronic PTSD and other mental disorders. RESULTS: The 3,133 samples used in the first phase show that 33.6% suffered from PTSD, 14.27% with depression, and 11.27% suffered from both. The 2,573 samples from the first phase were followed, collected the blood, and interview data only 21.6% were diagnosed with chronic PTSD. CONCLUSION: The statistical analysis has identified risks factors that could cause PTSD, and protective actions that could help to prevent PTSD. The prevalence of PTSD was still higher in the affected region six months after the Tsunami.