Trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters, and physical health symptoms in postabused women.
The purpose of this retrospective, descriptive-correlational research was to examine the relationships between violent and nonviolent trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its symptom clusters of avoidance, intrusive/re-experiencing, and hyperarousal, and self-reported physical health symptoms in 50 postabused women. Results indicated: (1) PTSD hyperarousal and avoidance symptom clusters were positively associated with physical health symptoms, and (2) childhood physical abuse accounted for a significant and unique portion of the variance in physical health symptoms. The results highlight the need for health care practitioners in all settings to assess for a history of trauma in a woman's life.
College of Nursing, University of Akron, OH 44325, USA.
Stephanie J
SJ
Woods
N Margaret
NM
Wineman
D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires