Post-traumatic stress disorder in women with eating disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of co-morbid post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) in women with eating disorders (ED).


METHODS
277 women aged 17 to 50 with a current DSM-IV ED were included. 84 were diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN), 152 with bulimia nervosa (BN) and 41 with ED not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Structured Clinical Interviews (SCID-I and SCID-II) were performed.


RESULTS
Sixty-eight participants (24.5%) reported unwanted sexual experiences (USE). Fifty-two participants (18.8%) reported some form of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Four participants (1.4%) met the criteria for PTSD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV). Participants with a history of USE did not differ from those without USE with regard to ED diagnosis, but were diagnosed more often with any Axis I or Axis II disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of PTSD in this sample of women with ED was low (1.4%), despite a USE rate of 24.5%.
Hepp
U
U
Psychiatrische Dienste Aargau AG, Baden, Switzerland. Urs.Hepp@pdag.ch
Spindler
A
A
Schnyder
U
U
Kraemer
B
B
Milos
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*