Epidemiology of trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-morbid disorders in Chile.
BACKGROUND
In this study we examined the prevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), types of trauma most often associated with PTSD, the co-morbidity of PTSD with other lifetime psychiatric disorders, which disorders preceded PTSD, and gender differences in PTSD and trauma exposure in a representative sample of Chileans.


METHODS
The DSM-III-R PTSD and antisocial personality disorder modules from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) and modules for a range of DSM-III-R diagnoses from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) were administered to a representative sample of 2390 persons aged 15 to over 64 years in three cities in Chile.


RESULTS
The lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 4.4% (2.5% for men and 6.2% for women). Among persons exposed to trauma, rape was most strongly associated with PTSD. Onset of PTSD significantly increased the risk of developing each of the 10 other tested disorders. Among those exposed to trauma, women were significantly more likely to develop PTSD, after controlling for assaultive violence.


CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the importance of investigating the prevalence of PTSD, patterns of co-morbidity of PTSD, and gender differences in PTSD in non-English-speaking countries.
Zlotnick
Caron
C
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School and Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA. Caron_Zlotnick@Brown.edu
Johnson
Jennifer
J
Kohn
Robert
R
Vicente
Benjamin
B
Rioseco
Pedro
P
Saldivia
Sandra
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology