Troubles toll was ignored: city experts

Weeks after the Sentinel reported 75 people have been treated in Western Trust psychiatric wards since the Belfast Agreement, a trio of Londonderry academics have outlined the extent of the long-standing psychological hangover from the Troubles.

Professor Brendan Bunting, Dr Siobhan O’Neill and Dr Finola Ferry from the Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Well-Being at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus talked to people who had experienced traumatic events during the Troubles and analysed their current health and well-being.

Their findings have now been published in a report entitled ‘Troubled Consequences,’ which as well as outlining the long-term sufferings of those who have been traumatised, also suggest that 40 per cent of people living here have experienced some form of conflict-related traumatic event.

Professor Bunting said: “It is clear from the findings that the violence linked to the Troubles has been a major source of suffering for the NI population - stress that has endured over the thirty five or more years of conflict.

“The health consequences of the conflict were all too often minimised and ignored.”

He claimed the new.report shows that traumatic events experienced during the Troubles have taken a severe and long-lasting psychological toll that’s still “a real lived experience for all too many.”

Dr Siobhan O’Neill said: “Previously published research by the Bamford Centre established that people who have experienced conflict related trauma are more likely that those who have experienced other traumas to develop mental health disorders, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”

“At 8.8 per cent, NI has the highest rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among the 30 countries in the World Mental Health Surveys, and at least a quarter of this figure is attributable to events associated with the conflict.

“We have now established that trauma is also shown to be linked to an increased likelihood of developing a range of physical health conditions including arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, asthma and stomach ulcers,” said Dr O’Neill.

“In addition, there were often lengthy delays before people sought treatment for their condition and, as a result, many individuals with these disorders still remain untreated,” she added.

Dr Ferry added that it was striking to find that Northern Ireland has such high levels of PTSD even compared to other areas of conflict.

“We think this is linked to the years over which the violence continued and to the inter-community nature of the violence. Also, the violence has resulted in high levels of other mental health disorders and is linked with higher levels of chronic physical health problems.

“We found too that people suffering trauma related disorders had difficulties in both seeking help and in finding services that were helpful for them. The clear message is that the need is significant and that there need to be major advances in evidence based services for trauma sufferers,” she said.

Last month the Sentinel reported how the total number of admissions to Western Trust psychiatric awards for post-traumatic stress here between 1998 and 2012 stood at 114.

Health Minister Edwin Poots stated: “The admissions above relate to 75 individuals. There are currently no psychiatric inpatients in Western HSC Trust with F431 (post-traumatic stress) recorded as a diagnosis at present although diagnosis is normally coded on discharge.”

The highest number of admissions occurred in the years following the signing of the power-sharing agreement with 16 in 1999, 16 in 2000 and peaking at 20 in 2001, coincidentally, a period marked by the release of large numbers of republican and loyalist prisoners.

Asked what he was doing to help people suffering from PSTD, Mr Poots replied: “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is recognised as an effective treatment for PTSD.

“‘A Strategy for the Development of Psychological Therapies Services’ was published by my Department in 2010 and has been underpinned by an additional £4.4m per annum.

“While it is not possible to quantify separately the resources provided by Health and Social Care Services for the treatment of PTSD, £227.5 million was spent on specialist services for people with mental health problems in 2011/12.

“This does not include expenditure on primary care services and voluntary organisations which may support patients with post traumatic stress disorder.”