Nonpsychiatric illness among primary care patients with trauma histories and posttraumatic stress disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, and self-reported nonpsychiatric medical conditions in a sample of 502 primary care patients with one or more anxiety disorders.


METHODS
Primary care patients with one or more DSM-IV anxiety disorders were assessed for comorbid psychiatric and substance use problems and for a history of trauma. These individuals also completed a self-report measure of current and lifetime medical conditions, lifetime tobacco use, and current regular exercise.


RESULTS
Of 502 participants with at least one anxiety disorder, 84 (17 percent) reported no history of trauma, 233 (46 percent) had a history of trauma but no PTSD, and 185 (37 percent) met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. Patients with PTSD reported a significantly greater number of current and lifetime medical conditions than did participants with other anxiety disorders but without PTSD. Primary care patients with PTSD were more likely to have had a number of specific medical problems, including anemia, arthritis, asthma, back pain, diabetes, eczema, kidney disease, lung disease, and ulcer. Possible explanations for the greater rates of medical conditions among participants with PTSD were examined as predictors in multiple regression. PTSD was found to be a stronger predictor of reported number of medical problems than trauma history, physical injury, lifestyle factors, or comorbid depression.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that PTSD is associated with a higher rate of general medical complaints.
Weisberg
Risa B
RB
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA. risa_weisberg@brown.edu
Bruce
Steven E
SE
Machan
Jason T
JT
Kessler
Ronald C
RC
Culpepper
Larry
L
Keller
Martin B
MB
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology*