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- Title
Posttraumatic stress disorder, trauma exposure, and the current health of Canadian bus drivers.
- Authors
Vedantham, Kumar; Vedantham, K; Brunet, A; Boyer, R; Weiss, D S; Metzler, T J; Marmar, C R
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>Previous studies of veterans have linked posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after combat-related trauma to increased reports of health problems. It is unclear whether this association between PTSD and increased health problems generalizes to civilians who are exposed to a broader array of traumatic events. We also do not know whether trauma exposure is associated with increased health problems in individuals who do not develop PTSD. Using a non-treatment-seeking civilian sample, we examined whether lifetime PTSD or trauma exposure by itself was associated with current health problems.<bold>Methods: </bold>Using a cross-sectional design and self-report measures, we evaluated urban Canadian bus drivers (n = 342) on trauma exposure, lifetime PTSD, and current health problems. Based on their responses, we divided our sample into individuals who had never experienced trauma (n = 91), trauma-exposed individuals who had never developed PTSD (n = 218), and persons who developed PTSD at some point after trauma (n = 33). We compared these groups on health problems, treatment service use, and health assessment measures.<bold>Results: </bold>The PTSD group reported increased health complaints, more frequent use of health treatments, and poorer health self-ratings compared with the exposed non-PTSD and nonexposed groups. Trauma-exposed drivers without PTSD did not differ from unexposed drivers on any health measure. Controlling for sex and trauma frequency did not alter our findings.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Trauma exposure that leads to PTSD is associated with increased health problems, while trauma exposure alone is not. Our results extend previous findings to a broader civilian context and clarify associations between trauma exposure and health.
- Subjects
CANADA; QUEBEC (Province); POST-traumatic stress disorder; BUS drivers; HEALTH; OCCUPATIONAL disease diagnosis; DIAGNOSIS of post-traumatic stress disorder; SOMATOFORM disorders; OCCUPATIONAL diseases; COMPARATIVE studies; PSYCHOSOMATIC disorders; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; MOTOR vehicles; PSYCHOLOGICAL tests; RESEARCH; TRANSPORTATION; CITY dwellers; EVALUATION research; CROSS-sectional method; DIAGNOSIS; PSYCHOLOGY
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2001, Vol 46, Issue 2, p149
- ISSN
0706-7437
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1177/070674370104600206