title: Peritraumatic distress but not dissociation predicts posttraumatic stress disorder in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe anxiety disorder whose symptoms include re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal after a particularly intense event. In view of the aging of the population, increased clinical knowledge is required for better understanding of PTSD in the elderly. Extending previous research in this field in adults and children, the aim of our study was to assess the utility of peri-traumatic dissociation and distress as a predictor of PTSD in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in a consecutive cohort of subjects aged 65 years and over admitted to emergency departments after a physical assault or a road traffic accident. Peri-traumatic responses of distress and of dissociation were measured. One, 6, and 12 months after trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms and diagnosis were assessed using both a dimensional and a semistructured interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine male and female participants with an average age of 72.4 years were recruited. Mixed model regression analyses did not detect a significant effect of age, sex, nor time. Significant associations were detected between peri-traumatic distress and the self-report PTSD Checklist (p = 0.008), as well as the Clinician-administered PTSD scale (p = 0.03). No association was detected between peri-traumatic dissociation and PTSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peri-traumatic distress predicts PTSD symptoms and diagnosis in the elderly, thereby suggesting its systematic evaluation at the emergency department would be a worthwhile thing to do.
authors: McGill University and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Brunet
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Sanche
authors: Aude
authors: A
authors: Manetti
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Aouizerate
authors: Régis
authors: R
authors: Ribéreau-Gayon
authors: Sandrine
authors: S
authors: Charpentier
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Birmes
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Arbus
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires