Post traumatic stress disorder in African American men exposed to violent trauma

Abstract

Research has shown strong association between exposures to violence resulting in post traumatic stress symptoms. Despite the high lifetime prevalence of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and exposure to violence among African American men, research outcomes are limited and inconsistent. African American youth who live in low-income urban areas routinely face various contextual specific risks factors that leave them susceptible to loss and trauma in their lifetime resulting in persistent PTSD over time. Personas of resilience found in African American men exposed to chronic violence often mask trauma symptoms raising concerns on the evaluation of PTSD symptomology among African American men as well as the process of resilience and coping methods within this population. Limitations to research include convenience sampling limited to specific cities and exclusion of incarcerated African American men. In addition, there is a lack of longitudinal studies detailing the physiological and psychological course of PTSD and rates of recovery in African Americans. Health care systems and providers must be equipped, informed, and prepared to responding to mental health needs of African American men. The understanding of the expression and presence of PTSD among African American men will result in improvements of healthcare professionals' ability to evaluate, diagnose, and provide treatment for PTSD among this group whose symptoms of trauma may be misinterpreted or overlooked.