Post-traumatic stress associated with low self-rated well-being in primary care attenders

Abstract

In this study, we assessed the prevalence of self-rated post-traumatic stress in relation to reported trauma in an unselected primary care population. A total of 1113 out of 1378 consecutive attenders (response rate 81%) to 10 health centres completed the self-report instruments Impact of Event Scale (IES), and Post Traumatic Symptom Scale (PTSS-10). A horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS; 0–100 mm) resembling the EuroQoL (quality of life) health barometer was used for evaluating well-being. Trauma was reported by 325 attenders (29.2%) when applying DSM-IV trauma criteria. Prevalence of possible post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was 6.5% (n=72) using cut-off scores of >35 for IES and >5 for PTSS-10. The two most common traumas in the PTSD group were accidents (2.0%, n=22), followed by cancer (1.3%, n=15). When excluding diseases and unspecified death as trauma, the rate of possible PTSD was 3.5% (n=39). Mean VAS–QoL score was 39.6 mm in the PTSD group (n=72), and 64.7 mm in the non-PTSD group with a reported trauma (n=253). In a multiple logistic regression analysis low self-rated well-being showed the strongest association with possible PTSD, followed by sexual assault, female gender, immigrant status and less than 2 years since trauma.

• Cancer
• Immigrants
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Prevalence
• Primary care
• Quality of life
• Self-report instruments
• Sexual assault

Thulesius H, Alveblom A-K, Håkansson A. Post-traumatic stress associated with low self-rated well-being in primary care attenders. Nord J Psychiatry 2004;58:000. Oslo. ISSN 0803-9488.

Thulesius H, Alveblom A-K, Håkansson A. Post-traumatic stress associated with low self-rated well-being in primary care attenders. Nord J Psychiatry 2004;58:000. Oslo. ISSN 0803-9488.