Citation

Sampson L, Jha SC, Roberts AL, Lawn RB, Nishimi KM, Ratanatharathorn A, Sumner JA, Kang JH, Kubzansky LD, Rimm EB, Koenen KC. Am. J. Geriatr. Psychiatry 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jagp.2021.10.017

PMID

34916131

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common among women and associated with negative health outcomes across the life course. Relatively few studies, however, have examined the epidemiology of trauma, PTSD, and treatment among middle-aged and older civilian women, who are at elevated risk for adverse health outcomes. We aimed to characterize trauma, PTSD, and trauma-related treatment prevalence and correlates in a large cohort of middle-aged and older women.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional, nested substudy within the Nurses' Health Study II cohort. SETTING: United States, 2018-2020. PARTICIPANTS: 33,327 current or former nurses, aged 53-74 years. MEASUREMENTS: 16-item modified version of the Brief Trauma Questionnaire; modified PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Version 5.

RESULTS: The majority (82.2%) of women reported one or more lifetime traumas. The most common trauma types were unexpected death of a loved one (44.9%) and interpersonal violence (43.5%). Almost 30% reported occupational (nursing-related) trauma. Among the trauma-exposed, 10.5% met criteria for lifetime PTSD and 1.5% had past-month PTSD. One-third of lifetime PTSD cases were due to interpersonal violence event types. One-third of women with lifetime PTSD-and nearly half of those with PTSD from a nursing-related trauma-reported never receiving trauma-related treatment. Women aged 65 years and older with PTSD were less likely to be in treatment than those aged less than 65 years.

CONCLUSION: History of trauma and PTSD is prevalent in this population, and a treatment gap persists. Addressing this treatment gap is warranted, particularly among older women and those with nursing-related trauma.

Language: en

Keywords

Trauma; epidemiology; PTSD; aging; nursing; treatment; women