Psychological Effects of Snakebite
Author Information
Author(s): Williams Shehan S., Wijesinghe Chamara A., Jayamanne Shaluka F., Buckley Nicholas A., Dawson Andrew H., Lalloo David G., de Silva H. Janaka
Primary Institution: University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
Hypothesis
What are the delayed psychological effects of snakebite envenoming on victims?
Conclusion
Snakebite causes significant ongoing psychological morbidity, a complication not previously documented.
Supporting Evidence
- 54% of snakebite victims met criteria for depressive disorder compared to 15% of controls.
- 21.6% of snakebite victims met criteria for PTSD.
- Snakebite victims reported more symptoms of psychological distress than controls.
Takeaway
Getting bitten by a snake can make people feel really sad and scared for a long time, even after they get better.
Methodology
The study included 88 snakebite victims assessed through interviews and psychological scales, compared to matched controls.
Potential Biases
Participants who responded were older and may have been more maladjusted than non-responders.
Limitations
The study had a high attrition rate of over 50%, which may affect the results.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 167 males and 33 females, with a mean age of 41.6 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 3.02–6.46
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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