It’s been considered more than just a correlation that traumatic incidents augment the the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have determined that this might actually be factual. More specifically, it references how the tragic Boston Marathon bombings contributed to a spike in symptoms amongst Boston-area military veterans.

BUSM personnel teamed up with the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs National Center for PTSD to have their findings published online in the Journal of Traumatic Stress. They hope to raise awareness with healthcare providers so that they’re better prepared to handle the appropriate treatment should a similar incident like the Marathon bombings occur in the future.

The researchers, who were compiling PTSD data prior to the explosions, conducted 71 phone interviews within one week of the April 15. They were then able to compare their prior recordings to those they gathered a week after the bombing. A majority of those participants said that the bombing caused them  heightened symptoms such as inopportune flashbacks and remembering previous times of trauma.

Of those interviewed, “38 percent reported that they were emotionally distressed by the bombing and the subsequent lockdown of Boston and other communities,” notes PsychCentral.

There was, however, no notable change of symptoms between the data from before and after the bombing across the entire sample size.

Mark Miller, Ph.D,, the study’s principal investigator said in a statement, “This study highlights the fact that tragic local and national events of this type can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of individuals already suffering with PTSD.”

It’s no surprise, then, that these affected veterans experienced flashbacks of their own respective stints, as well as increases in intrusion and avoidance symptoms, in active duty and are still reeling from them.

Continued Dr. Miller, “It is crucial that relevant healthcare organizations understand this phenomenon and be prepared in the wake of tragedy to care not only for those who are directly impacted, but also for those with preexisting psychological conditions, including our nation’s veterans with PTSD.”