Acute stress disorder vs PTSD in healthcare workers: onset and duration.

• A. Acute stress disorder occurs within 3 days to 1 month after trauma and lasts less than a month; PTSD persists for more than 1 month
• B. PTSD occurs within hours and lasts years
• C. Both have identical onset and duration
• D. Acute stress lasts more than a year; PTSD lasts days

Answer: (A)

Understanding how onset and duration differentiate acute stress disorder from PTSD after trauma helps explain why this choice is correct. Acute stress disorder appears in the first days to weeks after a traumatic event—specifically within 3 days to 1 month—and, by definition, resolves within that same 1-month window. If symptoms continue beyond 1 month, the diagnosis changes to PTSD. PTSD, in contrast, requires symptoms that last more than 1 month and can persist for months to years. In healthcare workers exposed to traumatic incidents, this timing distinction guides whether someone needs short-term support versus longer-term mental health care. So the statement correctly captures the established timing: ASD starts within 3 days to 1 month and lasts up to 1 month; PTSD lasts more than 1 month. Other options misstate onset (for example, PTSD arising within hours) or duration (ASD lasting beyond a month), or claim identical timing for both conditions.