Prevalence of Victimization and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Women with Substance Use Disorders: Comparison of Telephone and In-Person Assessment Samples

Abstract

A structured interview with behaviorally specific probes was used to assess victimization and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a clinical and a national, epidemiologic sample of women who had received treatment for a substance use disorder. Separate clinical and epidemiologic approaches to evaluating substance use disorders were compared. More than 80% of women in both samples had a history of sexual and/or physical assault and approximately one-quarter had current PTSD. The similarity in patterns of victimization, PTSD, and substance use across two samples suggests that telephone structured interviews are a valid method of collecting data/information about these important phenomena.

Key Words:

• Victimization
• Substance use disorders
• Posttraumatic stress disorder