title: Posttraumatic stress disorder and health status among female and male medical patients.
abstract: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with objective health problems in specific populations, such as Vietnam veterans. Less is known about PTSD and health among medical samples, especially PTSD patients with different etiologic traumas. This study examined PTSD and health in medical patients within the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system. A total of 134 patients completed an interview and questionnaires. Data on physician-diagnosed illnesses were gathered from medical records. PTSD diagnosis and symptoms were associated with a higher likelihood of circulatory and musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, PTSD symptoms were associated with more medical conditions. PTSD symptoms and diagnoses were also associated with poorer health related quality of life. Most of these findings remained significant after controlling for comorbid depressive, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic attack symptoms. Overall, gender did not moderate the relationship between PTSD and poorer health.
authors.affiliation: Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research & Training, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington, USA. ouimette@wsu.edu
authors.forename: Paige
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ouimette
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cronkite
authors.forename: Brandy R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Henson
authors.forename: Annabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gima
authors.forename: Rudolf H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Moos
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology