Prevalence Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Diagnosis Research Articles

Women in combat: The effects of combat exposure and gender on the incidence and persistence of posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis

Recent expansions in the roles of women in combat have prompted increased interest in the psychological toll combat exposure may have on female service members as compared to males. This study examined the interactive effects of gender and combat exposure on transitions in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic status (presence or absence of PTSD diagnosis). We used administrative data of 20,000 U.S. Army soldiers whose combat exposure was assessed after return from deployment between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2014; soldiers’ PTSD diagnostic status was determined using International Classification of Diseases-9 diagnoses at four time points separated by 12 months. We used a mixed-effects logit transition model to examine the effects of combat and gender on incidence, persistence, and prevalence of PTSD diagnosis. Incidence and prevalence of PTSD diagnosis were higher among women, but persistence of PTSD diagnosis was higher in men. Higher rates of new PTSD diagnosis among women were not dependent on combat exposure, suggesting that other types of trauma may be responsible for increased rates among women. Gender differences in prevalence and persistence of PTSD diagnosis were greater among combat-exposed soldiers than among those not exposed to combat. Men maintained a PTSD diagnosis over longer periods of time than women suggesting greater PTSD persistence, and this pattern was particularly pronounced among soldiers exposed to combat. These results have implications for the recent policy changes and gender-based prevention strategies, and suggest that women in combat roles may be no more vulnerable to PTSD than are their male counterparts. Though the gender differences were small, they are indicative of healthcare utilization patterns that may be important for prevention and that warrant further exploration.

1961 – HCV as a traumatic experience, PTSD and quality of life

Introduction The HCV has been associated with significant impairment of quality of life, irrespective of the degree of liver injury. The association of this disease with psychiatric comorbidities, especially depression, has been well described in the scientific literature. However, despite also significantly affect the quality of life of individuals, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has not been well studied in this population. Objective/aim Evaluate whether individuals perceive the liver disease as a potentially traumatic experience and investigate the impact of PTSD diagnosis on health-related quality of life in hepatitis C virus-infected subjects. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 127 consecutive hepatitis C-infected outpatients. We investigated Traumatic Experiences and the subject's perception about the disease using the Trauma History Questionnaire. PTSD and others psychiatry diagnoses were assessed trough M.I.N.I. PLUS. Quality of life was assessed by the Short-Form 36. Results Approximately 38.6% of the patients perceived the hepatitis C as a traumatic experience, 60.7% had PTSD diagnosis. It were no associate with the disease severity (been eligible for transplant), however there was a significant association with diagnosis of PTSD (p = 0.003). Roughly 22% of the sample showed PTSD diagnosis. PTSD imposed a significant impairment in quality of life of individuals in seven of the eight domains in the bivariate and multivariate analysis. This difference remained significant after adjustment for covariates such as major depressive disorder comorbidity. Conclusion The results suggest high prevalence of PTSD diagnosis in VHC infected patients and it impose impairment in their quality of life.