title: Age differences in PTSD among Canadian veterans: age and health as predictors of PTSD severity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, few studies have investigated age differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and none has examined age differences across symptom clusters: avoidance, re-experiencing, and hyperarousal. The first objective of this study was to investigate age differences in PTSD and its three symptom clusters. The second objective was to examine age and indices of health as predictors of PTSD symptom severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 104 male veterans, aged 22 to 87 years, receiving specialized mental health outpatient services. Assessments included measures of health-related quality of life, pain severity, number of chronic health conditions, and symptoms of PTSD, both in total and on the symptom clusters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant age differences across age groups, with older veterans consistently reporting lower PTSD symptom severity, both in total and on each of the symptom clusters. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the inclusion of health indices accounted for significantly more variance in PTSD symptoms over and above that accounted for by age alone. Pain severity was a significant predictor of PTSD total and the three symptom clusters.Conclusions: This is the first study to report lower levels of PTSD severity among older veterans across symptom clusters. These findings are discussed in relation to age differences in the experiencing and processing of emotion, autobiographical memory, and combat experiences. This study also emphasizes the importance of assessing pain in those with symptoms of PTSD, particularly older veterans who are less likely to receive specialized mental healthcare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Candace
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Konnert
authors.affiliation: Carewest Operational Stress Injury Clinic, Calgary, Alberta T3A 0E2, Canada.
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
keywords: PTSD; age differences; pain; physical health; veterans