Leading experts in trauma and mental health convened in Jerusalem for the first international conference of its kind initiated by Hadassah Australia.
Jerusalem, 21-23 May 2017
This multi-national conference was held in Jerusalem, Israel from 21 to 23 May 2017. It brought together some of the world’s leading trauma and mental health specialists whose work has been widely acclaimed and which has contributed to successful patient outcomes.
Trauma is ubiquitous and is experienced in different forms and with different prevalence rates globally. War, terrorism, torture, natural disasters, road and workplace accidents, domestic violence and child abuse all have far reaching immediate and long term psychological consequences.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a well recognized complication of serious or life threatening trauma and although well defined and classified according to new DSM V criteria, may have manifestations in clinical practice that make diagnosis elusive and management difficult. This remains the case, particularly in general practice settings, despite revised Australian guidelines approved by The National Health and Medical Research Council and Royal Colleges in 2013.
In Australia it is estimated that over one million people suffer PTSD over a 12 month period, making it the second most common psychiatric disorder next to depression. The number in Israel is estimated at 250,000. Although the triggers in each country may differ, the consequences for the sufferers are similar.
