4 - Epidemiology of PTSD

Abstract

Exposure to traumatic stressors can happen at any time in a person’s life. Although some age groups are more susceptible to exposure to certain types of traumatic stressors (e.g., young adults are more likely to encounter war-related traumatic stressors than younger or older people because that is the developmental period in which military service most often occurs), all traumatic stressors can occur at any point in the life span. Therefore, with each passing year of life, the probability of having been exposed to a traumatic stressor increases, until in midlife or older adulthood it is rare to find a person who has not ever been exposed to a traumatic stressor. Epidemiology studies demonstrate that the likelihood of experiencing psychological trauma and of developing PTSD differs depending upon a variety of factors including age, gender, ethnocultural background, socioeconomic resources, and the extent of violence and poverty in the community or nation. However, anyone from any background in any part of the world can experience psychological trauma.