Abstract
Background. This longitudinal follow-up study explored biomarkers and psychological symptoms of directly-exposed survivors of the Oklahoma City (OKC) bombing related to media coverage of the OKC bombing and the September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks. Methods. Medically-healthy, directly-exposed Oklahoma City (OKC) bombing survivors were compared to OKC community members on cardiovascular reactivity, inflammatory biomarkers, and psychosocial outcomes in relation to the OKC bombing and 9/11 media consumption. Measures. Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) for current bombing-related and 9/11-related posttraumatic stress PTS symptoms; Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II); Distress and Functioning (DAF) Scale; inflammatory IL-1β, anti-inflammatory IL-2R, cardiovascular reactivity biomarkers; and media consumption variables including associated nervousness/fear. Results. Bombing survivors had lower IL-2R and higher IL-1β, cardiovascular reactivity, and OKC bombing-related posttraumatic stress and distress/functioning problems than community controls, but no differences on 9/11 media consumption. Correlations were found among bombing survivors’ IL-2R with nervousness/fear from OKC bombing media contact. IL-1β correlated with PTSOKC levels and DAF, IL-2R with DAF, and systolic BP reactivity with DAF. Conclusions. Media consumption was associated not only with psychosocial outcomes but also with inflammatory stress biomarkers. Media coverage of both prior personally-exposed terrorist incidents and more recent attacks on others have the potential to affect psychosocial outcomes and biological stress markers of terrorism survivors.