Post-traumatic stress associated with low self-rated well-being in primary care attenders.
In this study, we assessed the prevalence of self-rated post-traumatic stress in relation to reported trauma in an unselected primary care population. A total of 1,113 out of 1,378 consecutive attenders (response rate 81%) to 10 health centres completed the self-report instruments Impact of Event Scale (IES), and Post Traumatic Symptom Scale (PTSS-10). A horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS; 0-100 mm) resembling the EuroQoL (quality of life) health barometer was used for evaluating well-being. Trauma was reported by 325 attenders (29.2%) when applying DSM-IV trauma criteria. Prevalence of possible post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was 6.5% (n=72) using cut-off scores of >35 for IES and >5 for PTSS-10. The two most common traumas in the PTSD group were accidents (2.0%, n=22), followed by cancer (1.3%, n=15). When excluding diseases and unspecified death as trauma, the rate of possible PTSD was 3.5% (n=39). Mean VAS-QoL score was 39.6 mm in the PTSD group (n=72), and 64.7 mm in the non-PTSD group with a reported trauma (n=253). In a multiple logistic regression analysis low self-rated well-being showed the strongest association with possible PTSD, followed by sexual assault, female gender, immigrant status and less than 2 years since trauma.
Thulesius
Hans
H
Kronoberg County Research Center, SE-351 12 Växjö, Sweden. hans.thulesius@ltkronoberg.se
Alveblom
Ann-Kathrine
AK
Håkansson
Anders
A
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires