Stress Levels Low for Londoners After Attacks

Aug. 25, 2005 -- In the immediate aftermath of the July 7, 2005, terrorist attack on their city, most Londoners reported remarkably low levels of stress.

That's the conclusion of a new study that appears in BMJ Online First.

The researchers' objective was to see how London residents handled stress in the days following the attack. More than 50 people were killed and about 700 were injured in bomb attacks on subway trains and a double-decker bus.

The researchers also wanted to determine whether the bombings had an impact on the decision of Londoners to travel within the city.

To obtain a representative sampling of adults, Market and Opinion Research International (MORI) conducted a telephone survey of 1,010 people. The survey was conducted July 18-20.

Impact on Transportation Plans

Thirty-one percent of the participants reported experiencing substantial stress. Thirty-two percent said they intended to reduce their use of the city's transportation system.

The higher levels of stress were associated with the inability to contact others by phone or a belief that loved ones might have been injured or killed.

One percent of the participants reported needing professional help to deal with their emotions.

Seventy one percent had spoken to friends or relatives about the attack, which suggests that most people in the aftermath of a traumatic event are able to turn to lay support groups, the researchers write.

Muslims reported the highest level of stress of all religious groups -- 62%.

British Stress vs. U.S. Stress

Participants' responses differed markedly from those of residents in New York and Washington, D.C., following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. In those cities, 90% of residents reported symptoms of stress. Forty-four percent said their symptoms were substantial.

High stress levels also were reported, especially among schoolchildren, following the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City.

Does being "prepared for the worst" help minimize stress in the wake of a traumatic event?

Although additional research on long-term effects is needed, having a plan ready in case of a future terrorist attack may have some influence on peoples' reactions immediately afterward, the researchers write.

For example, British officials have warned for some time that acts of terror in London were probable. In August 2004, a leaflet was circulated to every household in the country providing advice about what to do in the event of a terrorist attack.

"Overall, our results are reassuring," write the researchers. "Although the psychological needs of those intimately caught up in the attacks will require further assessment, we found no evidence of a widespread desire for professional counseling."