This study assessed the impact of the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks on emotional problems, prescription drug usage, and utilization of medical and mental health services within the Chinese community in lower Manhattan. We administered a survey to 148 randomly selected Chinese workers affected by the WTC attacks in March 2003. Although nearly half of the respondents had elevated PTSD and/or elevated depression scores, only a few (4.4%) had talked to a counselor. However, nearly all (86%) reported having visited a physician at least once since September 11, 2001. Individuals with elevated PTSD scores were significantly more likely to have gone to a physician after 9/11. They were also more likely to have received prescription drugs and to indicate an interest in counseling after 9/11 than individuals with low PTSD scores. The findings highlight the role of the primary care physician as gatekeeper for mental health symptoms after a disaster. They further suggest that primary care physicians should use screening tools for depression and posttraumatic stress after a major disaster and that they should be sensitive to potential emotional problems that are associated with somatic complaints. © Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2006.

immigrants Depression Displaced workers posttraumatic stress disorder Asian-American WorldTrade Center Disaster/terrorism Prescription drug use

September 11 Terrorist Attacks statistical analysis depression Chinese mental health service Terrorism human middle aged controlled study priority journal Occupational Diseases Aged substance abuse Depressive Disorder Mental Health Services Prescriptions, Drug statistical significance prescription patient counseling Humans workplace Asian Americans male Asian American female scoring system Article health care utilization major clinical study adult New York City posttraumatic stress disorder drug use Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Interviews neuroleptic agent Emigration and Immigration Patient Acceptance of Health Care occupational health disease severity health survey