Sensitivity and specificity of the PTSD checklist in detecting PTSD in female veterans in primary care.
PTSD affects a substantial number of women in medical settings and is associated with significant distress and impairment. There are effective methods of treating trauma-related distress, but a minority seek such care. Thus, primary care is an important setting in which to identify individuals with PTSD. We sent questionnaires, including the PTSD Checklist--Civilian Version (PCL-C), to 419 female veterans who were seen in our primary care clinic in 1998; 56% (N = 221) returned the measures. A random subset (n = 49) was interviewed to establish psychiatric diagnoses. The results provide qualified support for the use of the PCL-C total score with a lowered cutoff score as a screening measure for PTSD in female veterans in primary care.
Lang
Ariel J
AJ
Psychology Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA. ajlang@ucsd.edu
Laffaye
Charlene
C
Satz
Leslie E
LE
Dresselhaus
Timothy R
TR
Stein
Murray B
MB
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health