TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - Sex and gender differences in risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies
JO  - Journal of psychopathology and clinical science
A1  - Geiling, Angelika
A1  - El-Haj-Mohamad, Rayan
A1  - Blecker, Meike K.
A1  - Conrad, Elisabeth
A1  - Schulze, Lars
A1  - Meyer, Caroline
A1  - Haering, Stephanie
A1  - Engel, Sinha
A1  - Knaevelsrud, Christine
A1  - Schumacher, Sarah
A1  - Klusmann, Hannah
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - Women are at higher risk than men for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Comprehensive knowledge about these mechanisms is necessary to develop tailored, sex- and gender-sensitive preventive interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined sex-/gender-dependent risk factors, that is, risk factors with sex/gender differences in (a) vulnerability or (b) prevalence/severity, as well as sex-/gender-specific risk factors, that is, and (c) risk factors present in one sex/gender only. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and PSYNDEX for articles published until October 16, 2022. We included prospective studies that assessed risk factors to predict subsequent PTSD symptom severity, as measured with the Clinician-Administered PTSD scale. The primary outcomes were sex/gender stratified pooled for sex-/gender-dependent vulnerability and sex-/gender-specific risk factors and pooled odds ratio (OR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) for sex-/gender-dependent risk factor prevalence/severity. We screened 17,270 records and included 117 reports from 45 studies (N = 13,752) in the systematic review. Seventeen studies (N = 4,257; 1,827 women, 2,430 men) were included in the meta-analysis. Regarding risk factor vulnerability, analyses revealed no significant sex/gender differences except for acute stress symptoms, with stronger associations for men (b = 0.11, SE = 0.06, p <.05). Regarding risk factor prevalence/severity, women reported more severe immediate psychological stress responses (range SMD = 0.23-0.56) and more commonly had a history of mental illness (OR = 1.81, 1.27-2.58). Men showed higher trauma load (SMD = -0.15, -0.29 to 0.01). Few women-specific and no men-specific factors were identified. <br><br>RESULTS suggest that women's heightened immediate psychological stress response drives sex/gender disparities in PTSD symptom severity. Preventive interventions should thus target women early after trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2769-7541
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/abn0000918
ID  - ref1
ER  -