Abstract

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND RESILIENCE IN SUBSTANCE-RELATED DISORDERS FOR PATIENTS IN THE SOUTH THAILAND INSURGENCY

Objectives: Since 2004, Thailand’s southern insurgency has continuously deteriorated, generating violence in the 3 the most southern provinces of Thailand, i.e. Patani, Yala and Narathiwat. Local civilians, who live in these restive areas, have undergone psychological distress (e.g. PTSD), and the increasing prevalence of substance abuse in these areas has become the highest in Thailand. This study aimed to study the clinical representation of PTSD symptoms, resilience quotient and the association between; PTSD disorder symptoms and resilience, among patients with substance-related disorders living within the areas affected by the Thailand’s southern insurgency. Methods: This study is a descriptive, cross-sectional survey. The single assessment was obtained by self-administered questionnaires, conducted by psychiatric nurses. The questions relate to: Personal information, Thai version of PTSD check-list (Thai PCL), and Thai resilience questionnaires (Thai-RQ). The subject groups were patients with substance-related disorders at Thanyarak Pattani Hospital, the only center of excellence for addiction located in the restive area of Southern Thailand. This information was gathered from the 1st of April through until the 30^st of June, 2016. R-software package was performed using descriptive statistics and Pierson’s correlation. Results: Of the 92 male patients, aged between 18 to 54 years old, most were single, Muslim and used methamphetamines and opioids heavily (more than 4 times/week). It was reported that the most serious PTSD symptoms, among all patients, was avoidant and numbing symptoms, which was the same as in the positive PTSD screened group (4.30%). The patients were mostly within the normal range of resilience quotient (59.00%)with the overall, highest mean score being the part of emotional stability (28.42+4.65), against the lowest being coping strategy (14.45 + 2.86). However, the group with positive PTSD symptoms had more coping strategies (14.75) than that of the negative group (14.44). However, the symptoms of PTSD as well as resilience among patients with substance-related disorders in the areas of Thailand’s southern insurgency were not statistically associated. Conclusion: In the restive area of Thailand’s southern insurgency, the most common symptoms of PTSD found among patients with substance-related disorders were avoidant and numbing symptoms, while the highest resilience quotient was found within the part of emotional stability. PTSD symptoms and resilience were not significantly correlated in this study.