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Annotated Bibliography

How did the September 11th attacks impact the mental health of America?

Laura Dodson
Professor Malcolm Campbell
UWRT 1103
October 25, 2016

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Annotated Bibliography
Fisher, Christopher. Close Proximity and Trauma Exposures More Likely to Result in PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). BMED Report. 11 Sept. 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.
The article evaluates the relationship between proximity to the 9/11 attacks on the World
Trade Center and the occurrence of PTSD amongst witnesses. The diagnostic of PTSD is
determined by the qualifying exposure to the traumatic event based on the victims
geographical proximity to the event. The author describes a study that was preformed
according to the DSM criteria of the illness and the geographical location of the victim to
the attacks. The results of the study concluded that the diagnosis of PTSD and other
mental illnesses poses a challenge on researchers to provide an answer to the
controversial question; Does proximity to the attacks determine the prevalence of mental
illness within civilians? They concluded that both victims that were close in proximity to
the attacks and those who were farther away showed similar symptoms of Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder. The article includes a description of the authors credentials, providing
he has a PhD in Clinical Health Psychology, expressing to the audience that he has an
education in the field of mental illness and is reliable when discussing his opinion on the
subject. There are not many sources within the article, which is evidence that there were
not a variety of opinions throughout the study of the topic. The information may be based
on few opinions and it would be more beneficial to the credibility of the article if there
were more promoters of the supposed idea. While many sources state that mental
illnesses spread only to those in close proximity to the attacks, the position that the author
takes in the article provides a different angle to the topic that other sources do not. The
article hits on a debated approach to the impact of 9/11 on the mental health of civilians

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around America. It shows that the topic is complex enough to generate differing opinions
within the medical field and population in general. Although there are not many
references throughout the article, this is a great source to counter other approaches on the
topic.
Hartocollis, Anemona. 10 Years and a Diagnostic Later, 9/11 Demons Haunt Thousands. The
New York Times. 9 August 2011. Web. 27 Sept. 2016.
The author begins the news article with a womens account of the 9/11 attack on the twin
towers, describing her mental state, emphasizing the impact of this event on the general
public. The author then uses this account to introduce the prevalence of the mental
illness, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, among Americans. A short description of the
symptoms that occur with PTSD allows the audience to understand the turmoil these
victims are living through. The author goes on to describe the financial awareness to treat
these mental illnesses in victims and how those victims are being compensated for their
treatment. A major source of compensation introduced in the article came with the
passing by Congress of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which
allowed victims to treat their illnesses without worry of financial conflicts. The author
described the restrictions of this act, one being that it excludes those who experienced the
attacks through the television. This brings up the argument of proximity to the attacks
and who qualifies for a diagnostic of PTSD. The addition of personal experiences of
victims suffering from symptoms of PTSD after the attacks, is beneficial in accepting the
reliability of the authors accounts. The author also includes the opinions of scholarly
people, which is important when convincing the audience that your work is credible. The
article is centered around the impact of mental illnesses, so it is beneficial that the author

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included the input of doctors and psychiatrists throughout the article. This article has a
variety of information based off my topic that can enhance my project. It is a reliable
source with which I can reflect upon when describing the effects of the 9/11 attacks on
Americans and how the government is helping these victims. Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder is a major illness associated with the terror attacks, which I will use in my
project to demonstrate the mental affects that 9/11 produced in the public.
Perlman, Sharon E, Stephen Friedman, Sandro Galea, Hemanth P. Nair, Monika Ers-Sarnyai,
Steven D. Stellman, Jeffrey Hon, and Carolyn M. Greene. "Short-term and Medium-Term
Health Effects of 9/11." The Lancet. 378.9794, Sept. 2011, pp. 925-934. Web. 18 Oct.
2016.
This peer-reviewed article begins by describing the scene of the aftermath of the
September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center towers, allowing the audience to grasp
the magnitude of the event and its impact on the people. The article includes a table
showing a study of the health effects on different groups of people involved in the
attacks. The studies conducted were separated into two groups: those impacted
psychologically nationwide and those who were impacted psychologically in the New
York City area. The authors reveal studies taken of the US adult population that
experienced stress after the events and if any showed symptoms of PTSD. Other studies
focused on those present in New York City at the time that showed signs of PTSD and
depression and how long these symptoms lasted. The authors concluded from the studies
that chronic PTSD was more prevalent in rescue and recovery workers than in residents
alone. The perspective of the children was also touched upon, taking the topic into a
greater view on the impact of the entire population. This is a great source to include in

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my paper, because it provides direct information gathered on the mental effects of 9/11
on the public. There are several credible authors of this article, adding several opinions to
account for the articles reliability. They included a reference table at the end of the
article, which provides many different angles to the topic and other sources to base the
information on. The tables they included in the article add a great visual of the studies
and back up the research of mental impact on differing groups. The studies provide
statistics that I can use in my paper to back up the information they discovered on the
mental state of differing groups of people throughout America.
World Trade Center Survivors Network. 19 Oct. 2013. www.survivorsnet.org. assessed 19 Oct.
2016.
The World Trade Center Survivors Network is an organization based on the assistance
of survivors of the 9/11 attacks on New York City. This website provides information,
such as events taking place to remember and honor those who were involved in the
attacks. It also includes links to other sources that may provide valuable information on
discussions about 9/11 and how it impacted the public. The WTC Survivors Network
was created to support survivors in their need for assistance and to share their experiences
with others. The website provides survivor assistance services, such as peer support
groups and healing events, to help those cope with their horrific memories of that day. It
is a website that people can visit, whether they were impacted by the 9/11 attacks or
would like to know more about the lives of survivors and possibly make a donation to
their cause. It is a place where people can come together and remember the events that
took place and also find comfort in others who experienced the same emotions. Since the
website is handled by volunteers and survivors of the 9/11 attacks, the information comes

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from a firsthand basis and is more reliable than a person describing the events without
having the experience. It is also a non-profit organization, meaning that these people truly
care about helping those impacted by 9/11 and insuring that they have a place to visit to
connect with others. The website promotes survivors to tell their stories, which provides
personal accounts of the experience and aftermath of 9/11 to increase my understanding
of the impact from person to person and provide personal insight in my project. Although
I may not use this website as a whole, but it leads to other sources that describe the
mental health aspect of the 9/11 attacks, which is the premise of my project.