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Post-traumatic stress disorder in the community: an epidemiological study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Jonathan R. T. Davidson ,
Dana Hughes ,
Dana G. Blazer  and
Linda K. George
Jonathan R. T. Davidson*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Dana Hughes
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Dana G. Blazer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Linda K. George
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr Jonathan R. T. Davidson, PO Box 3812, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Synopsis

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was studied in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Among 2985 subjects, the lifetime and six month prevalence figures for PTSD were 1·30 and 0·44 % respectively. In comparison to non-PTSD subjects, those with PTSD had significantly greater job instability, family history of psychiatric illness, parental poverty, child abuse, and separation or divorce of parents prior to age 10. PTSD was associated with greater psychiatric co-morbidity and attempted suicide, increased frequency of bronchial asthma, hypertension, peptic ulcer and with impaired social support. Differences were noted between chronic and acute PTSD on a number of measures, with chronic PTSD being accompanied by more frequent social phobia, reduced social support and greater avoidance symptoms.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , August 1991 , pp. 713 - 721
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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