What screening tools are recommended for identifying PTSD in primary care settings?

Recommended screening tools for identifying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in primary care settings include the use of validated, brief screening instruments. These tools are particularly advised for people at high risk of PTSD, such as those involved in major disasters, refugees, and asylum seekers, as part of routine screening at around 1 month after the traumatic event or during comprehensive health assessments.

While specific named tools are not detailed in the provided guidelines, the emphasis is on using validated brief screening instruments to detect clinically important symptoms of PTSD, which include re-experiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, dissociation, and negative alterations in mood and thinking.

In primary care, GPs should ask specific questions about these symptom clusters and assess functional impairment and distress levels to identify PTSD symptoms effectively.

Following identification via screening, further assessment and referral to specialist mental health services for diagnosis confirmation and treatment are recommended.

Therefore, the key recommendation is the use of validated brief screening instruments tailored to the population at risk, combined with clinical judgement and symptom-specific questioning in primary care.

For more detailed information on specific tools, local protocols or specialist advice may be sought, and the UK Psychological Trauma Society provides resources and links to trauma services.

References: ², ¹