Older Adults Exposed to Ongoing versus Intense Time-Limited Missile Attacks: Differences in Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Objective: The potentially different psychological effects of ongoing trauma vis-à-vis an intense time-limited exposure to trauma have not been examined in older adults. Therefore, this study examined posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and their health concomitants in two groups of older adults in Israel: those exposed to ongoing missile attacks and those exposed to an intense time-limited period of missile attacks. Method: In the third administration of the Israeli component of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE-Israel), 297 older adults reported ongoing exposure to missile attacks due to the Israel–Gaza conflict (mean age = 66.97), while 309 older adults reported exposure to an intense period of missile attacks during the Second Lebanon War (mean age = 66.63). Participants completed measures of PTSD symptoms, and physical, cognitive, and mental health. Results: Older adults with ongoing exposure reported higher PTSD symptom level relative to those with intense time-limited exposure. The groups also differed in health variables related to PTSD symptoms. Namely, impaired physical and cognitive health were related to a higher level of PTSD symptoms in ongoing exposure, while impaired mental health was related to a higher PTSD symptom level following intense time-limited exposure. Conclusions: The findings suggest that physical and cognitive health involves resources that are vital for daily survival when living under ongoing warfare threat, whereas mental health involves resources that are needed in dealing with psychological effects of warfare trauma. Accordingly, different interventions may be necessary when helping older adults exposed to ongoing versus intense time-limited trauma.

Funding

Wave 3 data collection was funded by the NIH (R01-AG031729) and the Ministry of Senior Citizens. The survey management was under the responsibility of the Israel Gerontological Data Center at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Additional information

Funding

Wave 3 data collection was funded by the NIH (R01-AG031729) and the Ministry of Senior Citizens. The survey management was under the responsibility of the Israel Gerontological Data Center at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Notes on contributors

Amit Shrira

Amit Shrira, PhD, and Yaakov Hoffman, PhD are affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Dov Shmotkin

Dov Shmotkin, PhD is affiliated with the School of Psychological Sciences and the Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Yuval Palgi

Yuval Palgi, PhD is affiliated with the Department of Gerontology and the Center for Research and Study of Aging, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

Yaakov Hoffman

Amit Shrira, PhD, and Yaakov Hoffman, PhD are affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Ehud Bodner

Ehud Bodner, PhD is affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel, and the Department of Music, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Menachem Ben-Ezra

Menachem Ben-Ezra, PhD is affiliated with the School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.

Howard Litwin

Howard Litwin, PhD is affiliated with the Israel Gerontological Data Center, Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.