title: Traumatic events, post-migration living difficulties and post-traumatic symptoms in first generation immigrants: a primary care study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study potentially traumatic events (PTE), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, somatization and post-migration living difficulties (PMLD) in primary care immigrants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients self-rated transculturally validated questionnaires. Those with and without PTSD were compared on all variables. The influence of the number of PTE and of PMLD on PTSD was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  391 patients completed the questionnaires. Prevalence of PTSD was 10.2%. PTE and PMLD were frequent in the whole sample but more common in PTSD subjects. Either the number of PTE and of PMLD significantly increased the likelihood to have a PTSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTE, PMLD, PTSD and related conditions (anxiety, depression and somatization) are frequent among immigrants in primary care, and either PTE and PMLD significantly influence resulting psychopathology. The implications in clinical practice are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Caritas Health Service Network, Via Marsala 97, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzetti
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maisano
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geraci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012306:Risk; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult